NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, NIKE, Inc. (NYSE: NKE) unveiled the groundbreaking national uniforms for this year’s greatest sports moments. At a global event in New York City, Nike celebrated the modern uniform of sport that will propel the world’s best athletes on the biggest stages. Grounded in years of scientific research, the uniforms are constructed to help athletes achieve peak performance with zero distraction. Each piece of the uniform contributes to the same goals: thermoregulation, sweat management, breathability, and freedom of movement. Above all, the uniforms showcase national pride—representing each country’s distinctive culture and passion for sport.
The national uniforms, presented by the world’s best athletes, embody Nike’s new “System of Performance” for football, basketball, and track & field. This full-body system underscores Nike’s holistic approach to designing for the body in motion. This summer, the system will appear in more than 20 sports, as part of over 20 countries’ uniforms. Moving forward, this integrated approach will be offered for all athletes, in all sports.
FOOTBALL
The System of Performance is exemplified in the new global football system—comprised of new knit Nike Vapor kits with AeroSwift technology, Nike Mercurial Lightspeed shin guard sleeves, NikeGrip socks, and high-performance boots.
This holistic performance system starts with new Nike AeroSwift technology. Lightweight and breathable, these groundbreaking jerseys and shorts are knit from ultra-high performance yarn that is 10% lighter, dries 25% faster, and has 50% more stretch than previous kits. To keep athletes cool, a new manufacturing process incorporates both single and double knit-structures into key thermoregulation zones. At the same time, the kits feature vibrant colors and bold symbols that highlight the athlete’s national heritage. Lighter, cooler, and more durable, the kits allow players to focus solely on performance.
This same zero-distraction approach underpins the design of Nike Mercurial Lightspeed shin guard sleeves. This new sleeve allows players to customize their preferred guard size, shape, and sock. Among the sock options is the new NikeGrip socks—featuring two-sided, non-slip traction that works with the microfiber sock liners inside of performance boots, such as the new Nike Mercurial Vapor, the boot for the game’s fastest players. The result is boots that feel like an extension of the leg, allowing for unmatched feel on the pitch.
BASKETBALL
The Nike Vapor Uniform with AeroSwift technology represents more than a jersey and short. With precision engineering, it delivers greater lockdown and every step efficiency than ever before.
The system begins with a base layer consisting of optional arm sleeves, padded compression, and three-quarter Dri-FIT tights. The lightweight jersey and shorts have been carefully tailored to create a more fitted aesthetic. To maximize ventilation, designers used body-mapping technology to precisely pinpoint areas that needed better airflow. Constructed from a four-way stretch woven fabric and engineered mesh, each material is now strategically placed to provide maximum ventilation and sweat management. The result is a uniform that is 35 percent more breathable than its predecessor.
The shorts feature the Nike FlyVent waistband that improves breathability, eliminates drawstrings, and opens up movement. Inspired by the vibrancy of Brazilian culture, Nike’s team of designers infused explosive, vibrant color into each uniform. Each country’s flag colors can be found throughout the kit—particularly in the iridescent mesh numbers and jersey names that add a dynamic glow, appearing only as the athletes move.
TRACK & FIELD
Equipped with Nike AeroBlades—never-before-seen aerodynamic technology—the 2016 track & field kits are designed for the biggest moments and brightest lights.
Inspired by Brazil’s heritage, the kits feature hyper-national colors—amplifying a country’s identity in an unexpected way. For the United States track and field kits, designers incorporated an explosion of blue tones in the foundation of the uniform—from bright turquoise to deep royal blue—that creates a glow from the chest upward. Up close, a specially-designed American eagle sits between the shoulder blades, featuring a bold image of an eight-lane track protruding from its talons.
On this kit, the tiniest detail is poised to make the biggest impact. Informed directly by hundreds of hours of wind tunnel testing, Nike AeroBlades are tiny nodes that reduce wind resistance. Knitted into the arms, legs, and chest of each uniform, Nike AeroBlades influence the movement of air around athletes as they run. By offering the greatest aerodynamic drag reduction of any Nike uniform to date, the Nike AeroBlades accelerate all runners—from sprinters to marathoners.
The Nike AeroBlades are adhered to uniforms that also feature Nike AeroSwift technology. The uniforms are made from a hybrid of four-way stretch knit material and highly-breathable engineered mesh. Each uniform features several mix-and-match options for both male and female athletes, all customized to create a super-contoured body fit that reduces riding, shifting, or bunching. Combined with NikeGrip socks, athletes can conserve energy, increase traction, and run without distraction.
About Nike, Inc.
NIKE, Inc., based near Beaverton, Oregon, is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly owned NIKE, Inc. subsidiary brands include Converse, which designs, distributes and licenses casual sneakers, apparel and accessories; and Hurley, which designs and distributes a line of action sports and youth lifestyle apparel and accessories. For more information, NIKE’s earnings releases and other financial information are available at http://investors.nike.com. Individuals can also visit http://news.nike.com/ and follow @Nike.
