NIKE has partnered with advanced biotechnology firm Newlight Technologies on the move and will explore its AirCarbon carbon-negative biomaterial which is produced by microorganisms from the ocean.

AirCarbon is currently used in fashion applications as a carbon-negative substitute to plastic and leather, including for eyewear, wallets, and bags.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

View all

The aim is to advance Nike’s mission to create products that are better for athletes and the planet.

“AirCarbon offers an opportunity to further reduce our impact on the planet,” explains Nike chief sustainability officer Noel Kinder. “Materials account for 70% of Nike’s total carbon footprint, and we’re accelerating our efforts and exploring new opportunities in this space because, in the race against climate change, we can’t wait for solutions, we have to work together to create them.”

Newlight uses naturally occurring microorganisms from the ocean that eat air and greenhouse gas and convert it inside of their cells into AirCarbon: an energy storage material, also known as polyhydroxybutyrate (or PHB), that is about 40% oxygen from air and 60% carbon from greenhouse gas by weight.

AirCarbon is certified carbon-negative by SCS Global Services, resulting in a net reduction in CO2e in the atmosphere through production, and can be melted into a range of forms, from fibre and sheet to solid shapes.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

It is being used to replace plastic in industrial segments ranging from foodware to fashion. Newlight’s mission is to help end plastic pollution and climate change by replacing plastic with AirCarbon, creating global-scale economic and environmental value.

“Our mission is change at scale, and there are few better partners in the world than Nike to help achieve that,” says Newlight CEO, Mark Herrema. “We are excited to explore how AirCarbon can help Nike decarbonise its products and achieve its ambitious carbon-reduction goals.”