Nike trainers: kicking up a stink
According to the BBC’s Watchdog programme, some football boots made by sportswear giant Nike may be giving off an unpleasant odour. The company’s Mercurial and Total 90s ranges are said to produce an odour similar to cat urine after they have been worn for the first time.
A Watchdog footwear expert claims the smell is caused by the materials used, not by the smell of the wearer’s feet. The programme claims Nike “replaced some of the man-made lining just under the laces with a cotton canvas”. This canvas reportedly rots if it gets wet and there is no way for the moisture to escape because the manmade materials surrounding the cotton are not breathable.
A comment from Nike to the programme said that there had been “a very small number of cases” where this problem had occurred and that it is investigating the cause to “ensure that the problem doesn't occur moving forward”. Customers experiencing this unpleasant odour can return the shoes for a refund or replacement, and Nike has apologised for any inconvenience caused.
