- New Balance and Jaden Smith Launch the Sustainability-minded Vision Racer ReWorked
New Balance and Jaden Smith Launch the Sustainability-minded Vision Racer ReWorked
Boston, MA – April 22, 2021 – Today, activist and artist Jaden Smith and global athletic leader New Balance debuted the latest release of the New Balance Jaden Smith Vision Racer collection that is partially crafted with recycled and surplus materials: the Vision Racer ReWorked. As part of the continued collaboration, the sneaker reinforces both Smith’s and the brand’s enduring commitment to sustainability. The Vision Racer ReWorked is now available on NewBalance.com and retails for $150 USD.
“In our commitment to contributing to a healthier planet, we’ve continued to think bigger in terms of unconventional innovation and the Vision Racer ReWorked is a great example of that,” said Alex Carlson, Sr. Designer, Materials Innovation and Sustainability for New Balance. “We approached this launch with Jaden Smith, a leader in environmental activism, through the lens of reducing waste long term and created a product that uniquely transforms recycled materials as a result while maintaining the style and trend-forwardness for which the Vision Racer is known.”
The Vision Racer ReWorked is consciously crafted with a mix of recycled materials including a midsole that contains a 5% EVA regrind, alleviating a potential waste stream. The material used in the upper and the tongue contains 74% Spinnex fiber (Spinnex includes at least 30% textile waste), 16% polyester and 10% Spandex. New Balance’s Spinnex material incorporates factory waste cut offs into a new usable material.
“Whether it’s starting JUST water or collaborating with New Balance - I’m energetically interested in bringing more sustainable options and features into everyday lifestyle items and everyday culture,” says Smith. “These items act as a lens into ways more people can participate in better global health with simple choices while learning and becoming smarter, more aware of the solutions that are out there. We just need to demand them and choose them.”
To learn more about the Vision Racer ReWorked, visit NewBalance.com.
About New Balance’s Commitment to Sustainability
The Vision Racer ReWorked launch is part of New Balance’s larger sustainability initiatives in which the brand is committed to a healthier planet by reaching several sustainability milestones between now and 2030. In addition to the launch of a sustainably-minded product like the Vision Racer ReWorked, New Balance is continuing an apparel collection featuring its green leaf icon which means the apparel is made with at least 50 percent environmentally preferred materials such as recycled or organic content. The brand is also joining forces with The Renewal Workshop, a leading provider of circular solutions for apparel and textile brands, to pilot an apparel repair program, and environmental non-profit organization 1% for the Planet to benefit organizations working on climate change and protecting public lands. Through 2021, New Balance will donate 1% of MSRP from all Fresh Foam Hierro v6 sneakers sold in the U.S. to 1% for the Planet to benefit organizations working on climate change and protecting public lands. For more info, please visit onepercentfortheplanet.org and newbalance.com/sustainability.
About New Balance
New Balance Athletics, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. Manufactured in the U.S. for more than 75 years and representing a limited portion of our U.S. sales, New Balance MADE U.S. is a premium collection that contains a domestic value of 70% or greater. New Balance owns and operates four factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 7,000 associates around the globe and in 2020 reported worldwide sales of $3.3 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com
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