Nike elaborates on Flyweave technology
Nike’s footwear designers have said they focusing efforts on knitted upper technology as weaving can help design ideas “go to space”.
The Flyweave process produces a single piece of material which allows designers to account for the durability, strength and stability requirements of individual athletes and sports.
Nike designer Thomas Bell said: “Flyweave is one of the most exciting innovations I’ve seen at Nike – inspired from traditional weaving methods, but with the strength and reliability of aerospace materials.
“We have a growing group of designers that have used the technology and are excited by Flyweave’s potential to accomplish even more than we were able to do with the woven upper of the Air Jordan 29 that debuted in 2014.”
He is working alongside Leo Chang, Nike Basketball’s footwear design director, on a knitted basketball shoe debuting “in the near future”.
Mr Chang added: "Flyweave offers us an amazing technical advantage in basketball to create incredible strength with a precise, comfortable fit. We have some exciting news on the way and the response from athletes has even exceeded our expectations."
The US sportswear giant has indicated its desires to increase knitted designs as a way of “engineering labour out of the product”, which would give it more flexibility on manufacturing locations and reduce labour costs.
