Nike’s Latest App Helps You “Make” More Sustainably
Who knew that being a discerning fashionista could do so much good? A new app from Nike, called Making, allows designers to make more informed and responsible decisions about the materials they use in their projects. This could help dramatically cut down the environmental impact of certain kinds of making — we’re so in.
The app makes available to the public something Nike has been using for years — the Nike Materials Sustainability Index. It presents 22 different fabrics which are rated on four sustainability factors: water use, energy, chemistry, and waste. It even lets you see how those scores change if you use organic materials or recycled content, as well as better water practices.
The app presents pretty basic information: the materials are compared by % (e.g. linen uses 15% less water than cotton), but you can also click through on each to read more about the material or about the element being discussed. You can view the list of all materials in ranked order or compare two individual materials to each other if you have to make a more specific decision.
Not only is the functionality great, the app itself is gorgeous, easy to use, fun to play with, and free. We think it’s great not just for designers but for informed consumers: what kind of material should you get for your new curtains?
We’re loving the idea of an app to help make more sustainably. We’d love to see similar ones for other types of projects, like cooking or home decor.
What do you want to see a sustainability-focused app for? How do you make creatively, in an environmentally friendly way? Talk to us in the comments below or on Facebook.