Nike’s 'Space Hippie' sneakers are made out of recycled trash, and they feel like the future

Nike is going all in on sustainability at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and that effort goes beyond performance products for its athletes at the summer games. You want some lifestyle sneakers with minimal environmental footprint? Well, the sportswear giant has you covered. Today, Nike introduced "Space Hippie," a collection of sneakers that are made from factory scraps, all the way from the materials on the actual shoes to the packaging they'll come in.

Altogether, there are four styles total (Space Hippie 1, 2, 3, and 4), each featuring a Flyknit upper made from recycled plastic water bottles, t-shirts, and yarn scraps. They also feature a "Crater" midsole created with Nike Grind Infill — the same rubber material the company used for its new eco-friendly football field in Miami — and recycled ZoomX foam scraps that give the shoes a space junk look.

If only all trash looked like this — Nike says it designed its Space Hippie capsule with "circularity" in mind, aka the idea of bringing products and their materials full circle. You can see that translated in the unique, raw design of each model, which the company says have the lowest carbon footprint score of any Nike footwear ever made.

The goal, Nike added, was to come up with "exploratory" footwear that would push the boundaries of sustainable design: it wanted to find a way to combine the right materials with an aesthetic that stays true to its brand. And the result, I have to say, are four sneakers that I could easily see myself wearing every day. They look fantastic and they're good for the planet, so what else could I want?

Coming soon — While Nike hasn't revealed pricing details yet, we do know the Space Hippie 1, 2, and 3 will be available this spring on the SNKRS app, at its House of Innovation stores, as well as other retailers. That is going to be followed by the Space Hippie 4, a women's specific design, which is expected to launch during the summer.