On 13 September 2022, Nike introduced their new sustainable initiative: B.I.L.L., short for Bot Initiated Longevity Lab. This robotic system is designed to give sneakers a second life. B.I.L.L. cleans kicks and repairs them where necessary. With this system, Nike is taking a big step towards sustainability in the sneaker world.
Nike has been increasingly concerned with making the sneaker industry more sustainable in recent years. For instance, the brand has its own 'Move To Zero' line, designing shoes with recycled materials, and the US company recently introduced its 'One Box', a sustainable shoe box.
Now Nike is introducing B.I.L.L. (Bot Initiated Longevity Lab). The robotic system was first shown at Nike Town London. With B.I.L.L., Nike aims to give sneakers a second life. The system is programmed to clean and repair sneakers. Noah Murphy-Reinhertz, Sustainability Lead, Nike NXT, on the purpose of B.I.L.L.:
“The thing is, maintaining old product is deeply personal. People will go to great lengths to care for their favorite shoes. Repairing a product is a way to extend our memory with a product. We see B.I.L.L. as a tool for being able to do that." says Noah Murphy-Reinhertz, Sustainability Lead, Nike NXT. “Robots can do things that are tough to do by hand, but when we used robotics as part of a recycling technology, we still want the service to be personal.”
Nike Town
For now, B.I.L.L. is just an experiment and the robot can be seen at Nike Town London during the month of September. The robot takes about 45 minutes to give a sneaker a new life. So far, B.I.L.L. can repair Air Force 1, Air Jordan 1, Space Hippie 01 and Nike Dunks models.
With the project, Murphy-Reinhertz aims to further experiment on sustainability in the sneaker industry. Check out the images of B.I.L.L. below and keep an eye on our news page for new updates. Also, don't forget to follow Sneakerjagers on Instagram and stay up-to-date with the latest releases.
