In an effort to boost sustainability efforts across the sports apparel industry, Nike has released its Environmental Apparel Design Tool.
Based on Nike’s ‘Considered Design Index’, the release of the tool aims to ‘accelerate collaboration between companies, fast-track sustainable innovation and decrease the use of natural resources like oil and water.’
Designed and built by Nike over seven years with a six million dollar investment, the software-based Environmental Apparel Design Tool helps designers to make real time choices that decrease the environmental impacts of their work.
Recognising the decline of natural resources and the need to move to a low-carbon economy, the tool is a practical way to rate how apparel designs score in reducing waste and increasing the use of environmentally preferred materials while allowing the designers to make real time adjustments.
"This tool is about making it simple for designers to make the most sustainable choices right at the start of the product creation process," said Hannah Jones, Vice President of Nike Sustainable Business and Innovation.
“Over the past four years it has proved to be invaluable at Nike and has helped us create products with a higher sustainability standard.
"By releasing the tool we want others to improve on it and we hope to inspire further collaboration to create global industry standards for a level playing field, encourage widespread industry adoption of sustainable design practices and have more sustainable products available for the consumer."
In the last year alone, Nike doubled its use of recycled polyester, saving 82 million plastic bottles from landfill. If all apparel companies committed to converting one third of their polyester garments to recycled polyester, the demand for recycled polyester would be greater than the annual production of plastic bottles, diverting PET bottles from landfill.
"Nike’s decision to open-source this design tool is a win-win because it leverages important intellectual capital to benefit an entire industry," said Mindy Lubber, president of Ceres, a leading coalition of investors and environmental groups that works with companies like Nike to address sustainability challenges.
"Whether for sneakers or cars, it is hugely important to integrate water, chemical, energy and waste considerations into all product design. If all apparel companies use this tool, the impacts could be breathtaking, from less-clogged landfills to expanding our sustainable material industries."
In addition to the Environmental Apparel Design Tool, Nike will also be releasing its Footwear Design Tool, Material Assessment Tool and Water Assessment Tool in 2011.
These efforts come after Nike’s announcement earlier this year about the GreenXchange (GX), a web-based marketplace where companies can collaborate and share intellectual property which can lead to new sustainability business models and innovation.
Nike committed to placing more than 400 patents on GX for research, demonstrating its belief that the best way to stimulate sustainable innovation is through open innovation.
The Environmental Apparel Design Tool can be found at www.nikebiz.com/responsibility/nikeenvironmentaldesigntool.
