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Nike ISPA Link Modular Sneakers

Posted: April 29, 2022
Nike ISPA Link Modular Sneakers

Coming June 2022 to a Swoosh store near you: Nike ISPA Links. Fly modular sneakers with 3 interlocking pieces that connect without glue. And when I say "fly," I don't mean fly-ass. I mean fly-eye. As in, what the soles of these shoes look like. A bunch of fly eyes.

And in some way, perhaps, the Link is an ode to insects, and all the other plant and animal species of the world. ISPA, an acronym for Improvise; Scavenge; Protect; Adapt, is the Nike team working to develop products that "move Nike closer to its circular vision - a closed-loop system that yields no waste - to help protect the planet and the future of sport." Links aren't modular so you can buy a crap ton of sneaker parts to swap out according to your activity or the color that best describes your mood of the day. They're modular to make them easier to recycle, which you can do when they wear out at any Nike store offering the brand's Recycling & Donation service.

Further, the ISPA crew designed the Links to assemble in manufacturing plants in less than 8 minutes, a fraction of the time needed for the average sneaker. This is courtesy of a custom-made manufacturing jig, and the sneakers' glue-less composition, which eliminates energy-sucking processes such as cooling, heating, and conveyor belt systems.

Nike claims the modularity and freaky fly look of their Link sneakers compromises nothing in terms of fit, comfort, and practicality of wear. The midsole "pegs" connect into pre-punched openings in the upper, and keep the shoe both stable and breathable.

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