Nike and 3M collaborate on a new collection introducing select durable materials and design overlays fueling sneaker aficionados across Southeast Asia
We are almost nearing the end of the year and it has been quite a year! From working remotely to working out at home, people all over the region and the globe have adapted to the best of their emotional and mental capacities to accommodate the new norm.
And what better way to treat yourself this festive season than a pair of stellar kicks from Nike with a 3M makeover to add more durability and design to your favourite sneaker brand!
Nike and 3M have teamed up for a highly anticipated, design-led collaboration that features best-in-class 3M innovation applied to iconic sneaker franchises like Force, Air Max, and Blazer. “The result of this collaboration highlights the value of design in bringing our world-leading 3M technologies to life in a way that improves the customer experience.”
The trendy Nike collection made in collaboration with 3M is making its way to Southeast Asia and hopes to make a great impression in the region, where sneaker culture is already on the rise. This comes as no surprise especially taking into consideration Singapore’s Sneaker Con, Jakarta Sneaker Day, Manila Sneaker Expo, SneakerFest Vietnam, Sneaker Party Thailand, and Malaysia’s Sneaker Lah events that attract thousands of sneaker fans, eager to make a sale or get their hands on limited-edition boutique brands.
For collectors of kicks, the Nike premium collection that is made in collaboration with 3M offers great features in both technology and design integrating new materials and style that make these a must-have.
What’s the backstory?
3M has been celebrating its materials and technologies through creative collaborations at Milan Design Week for the past several years.
One brand in particular that took notice was Nike.
“Once Nike experienced our installation, they knew 3M was a company that thinks differently,” said Robert Quintero, a UX creative director at 3M. “They appreciated our ability to express the 3M brand emotionally through storytelling.”
Nike Sportswear was in the early stages of conception a shoe line with ‘protection’ as its theme and tapped 3M for a potential collaboration.
After Milan Design Week, Robert invited a few members of the Nike design team to visit 3M’s global headquarters. “They wanted to enter the candy shop through one door.”
After the visit, Nike took samples back to their headquarters in Oregon and eventually decided to feature 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material throughout the entire sneaker collection to elevate the shoes’ aesthetics.
The Nike Air Force 1 Low ’77 3M™ By You in different styles and colours
Both 3M technologies have a long history of being utilized by top apparel brands. In 2019, adidas applied the 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material to its updated Nite Jogger collection. More recently, well-known running brand Brooks included 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material – C790 Carbon Black Stretch Transfer Film in their Run Visible collection.
3M™ Thinsulate™ Products can be found in many fashion brands around the world. Recently, 3M joined up with outerwear company Askov Finlayson to help create the world’s first climate positive parka by using 3M™ Thinsulate™ 100% Recycled Featherless Insulation. This revolutionary material is made from recycled plastic bottles and underscores 3M’s commitment to advancing a circular economy.
“3M has earned the trust of brands because our materials are based on sound science,” said Ryan Gallagher, a global marketing manager for 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material. “At the end of the day, we apply our technologies to make products more impactful, and this collaboration with Nike is a great example of that.”
To view the complete collection of sneakers, please visit Nike.com.
3M, Thinsulate and Scotchlite are trademarks of 3M.
