Waste nothing. Gain everything.

Nike Grind: A legacy of innovation

What began as a grassroots initiative in 1992 to repurpose shoes headed for landfills is now a global sustainability program that helps transform manufacturing scrap and end-of-life shoes into recycled Nike Grind materials. It’s all part of our vision for a circular future—one where the concept of waste no longer exists.

A pile of colorless materials that can be recycled into Nike Grind

million pounds of Nike Grind have been recycled into partners’ products since 1992

A small sample of rubber materials.A small sample of polyurethane foam.A small sample of ethylene-vinyl acetate foam.A small sample of leather.A small sample of textiles.A small sample of thermoplastics.

What is Nike Grind?

Manufacturing scrap, unused manufacturing materials and end-of-life footwear— including rubber, foam, fiber, leather and textiles—are collected, separated and reused or processed into new Nike Grind materials.

Manufacturing scrap

Scraps of rubber, foam, leather and textile left over from creating Nike products are collected from factories around the world.

Footwear

An athletic shoe separated into its components: tongue, upper shoe, trim, air bag, midsole, and outsole.
  • Tongue
    Scraps of textile derived from the tongue’s manufacturing process.
  • Upper
  • Trim
  • Air bag
  • Midsole
  • Outsole

Apparel

A short-sleeved athletic shirt.
  • Sleeves and details
  • Chest

Unused materials

Extra manufacturing materials that don’t get used and can’t be used for future Nike products find new life in others’ products.

End-of-life shoes

Nike footwear that isn’t suitable for sale (like samples or defects) and worn-out athletic shoes are processed into Nike Grind and given a second chance to perform.

Everything is waste (if not used)

Our goal: reduce waste wherever we can and reuse that waste whenever we can’t. The result is Nike Grind.

Explore Nike Grind Materials

Driving toward circularity

Nike is at the leading edge of developing circular waste systems to reuse and recycle material waste in our footwear and apparel supply chain, helping keep it away from landfills and incineration. Together with our partners, we’re delivering high-performance, low-impact solutions for material reuse.

Nike swoosh logo

Closing the loop

  1. Design

    Design

    Designing with circularity in mind, Nike product creation teams aim to design waste out from the very beginning and source both Nike Grind materials and other recycled materials that meet our exacting standards.

  2. Make

    Make

    Manufacturing improvements are constantly being made to maximize material efficiency and reduce waste.

    1. Retail
  3. Recover

    Recover

    Manufacturing scraps, excess materials and products that can’t be used or donated are recovered and processed into Nike Grind materials or converted into energy to fuel manufacturing.

    1. Energy recovery
  4. Recycle

    Recycle

    Nike Grind materials are recycled into Nike products (closed loop) and partner products (open loop).

    1. Other products

Through Nike Grind, we’re closing the loop on our product lifecycle and working toward our vision for a zero carbon, zero waste future.

More about Nike’s vision

Nike Grind in the world

For nearly three decades, Nike has been incorporating Nike Grind materials into product design, retail spaces and workplace environments at Nike World Headquarters and around the globe. From furniture to running tracks. Skateboards to laptop sleeves. Innovation is at the heart of the Nike Grind program.

Made with Nike Grind