Few projects elucidate NIKE, Inc.’s “better is temporary” philosophy as succinctly as the ongoing collaborative initiative NIKECRAFT with artist Tom Sachs. The fifty-fifty endeavor has produced product since 2012, including iterative improvements to the hallmark Mars Yard shoe and a shape-shifting poncho.
Underpinning every NIKECRAFT action is a transparent approach to doing, whether charting tests and trials or relaying evidence of construction methods. The Mars Yard 2.5 Wear Test affirms the NIKECRAFT ethos and extends an invitation to the NIKECRAFT community to join in the never-ending quest for slow and steady improvement.
Dedicated athletes will be chosen to put the Mars Yard 2.5 through its paces, record their experiences, and log firsthand feedback. Shoes will then be returned, sanitized, studied, repaired and reissued. The full process will shape future progress on the Mars Yard.
“With this particular challenge, we are engaging people to really think about this shoe and bring different perspectives, both culturally and environmentally,” says Sachs. “This is an opportunity to invite a larger audience to really indulge in our favorite part of the process — learning about things and making stuff. The process is the most valuable thing, and if the end result is a great pair of shoes, that’s fantastic. But I think it's really important that the testing process celebrates the journey.”
Beyond the Mars Yard 2.5 Wear Test, NIKECRAFT will also support research in the proper care of footwear, underscoring an important facet of sustainability — maintaining the objects one already owns, and wearing them to death.
Applications to join the Mars Yard 2.5 Wear Test will be accepted via one-minute videos uploaded to Instagram. Complete details are available at nikecraft.com.
