Following a similar announcement from Puma earlier this month, Nike has pledged to cease its use of kangaroo leather. The material, which is particularly prominent in its soccer boots, will be completely phased out by the end of 2023, according to a statement given to multiple outlets.
Nike will soon launch the Tiempo Legend Elite, a cleat that will make use of a proprietary synthetic upper to replace kangaroo leather. Across the industry, kangaroo leather has recently been used in boots including the Nike Tiempo 9 Elite, Adidas Predator Edge 94+, and Puma King Platinum 21 Rallye.
A bill recently introduced in the Oregon state legislature would ban the sale of “any part of a dead kangaroo or any product containing a part of a dead kangaroo.” Australia’s kangaroo leather industry is estimated to generate more than $200 million annually, and the country has signed-off on kangaroo harvesting since 1999 in an effort to help control the animal’s population. In October, the Australian government estimated the country held 42.7 million kangaroos compared to 26 million people.
At the top of March, Puma announced the latest boot from its King line would utilize K-Better, a material that doesn’t use any animal parts and is at least 20 percent recycled. Tests found that K-Better outperformed kangaroo leather, which is generally favored for its durability, lightness, and flexibility compared to other leathers.
“Nike’s announcement that it will end use of kangaroo skins for its athletic shoes is a seismic event in wildlife protection, and tremors will be felt all over the world, especially in Australia where the mass commercial slaughter of kangaroos occurs,” Wayne Pacelle, president of the Center for a Humane Economy, said in a press release. “Now it’s up to Adidas and the remaining soccer cleat makers to follow suit.”
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