Nike has confirmed it will stop manufacturing products with kangaroo leather this year, following an ongoing campaign by the Center for a Humane Economy.
The decision follows reports that Puma has also ended the use of kangaroo leather.
In a statement to Ragtrader, a Nike spokesperson said the brand will release a new Tiempo Legend Elite shoe made without kangaroo skin. The product will include a new Nike-only, proprietary synthetic upper.
"The upper has a new material that is a better performance solution and replaces the use of kangaroo leather," the spokesperson said. "In addition, the Tiempo Premier, also set to launch this summer, will move away from the use of kangaroo leather.
"Nike divested of its only kangaroo leather supplier in 2021 and will stop making any product with kangaroo leather in 2023.”
Center for a Humane Economy president Wayne Pacelle said Nike’s announcement is a “seismic event” in wildlife protection. The organisation has been running a campaign, ‘Kangaroos Are Not Shoes’, since 2020.
“Tremors will be felt all over the world, especially in Australia where the mass commercial slaughter of kangaroos occurs,” Pacelle said.
“Non-animal-based fabrics are athletically and morally superior, and in March we’ve seen two of the three largest brands in athletic shoes pledge to end their use of kangaroo skins and to bring relief to these iconic marsupials in Australia.”
The Center for the Humane Economy said that out of 172 goals scored in last year’s World Cup, 164 came from players wearing synthetic shoes or conventional leather (though synthetics dominated).
“These two announcements amount to a massive victory for the Center for a Humane Economy and its ‘Kangaroos Are Not Shoes’ campaign,” said Center for a Humane Economy senior legal advocate Natasha Dolezal. “Now it’s up to Adidas and the remaining soccer cleat makers to follow suit.”
A licence is required to cull kangaroos in Australia, with some states adding their own legislation in this area.
In New South Wales, for instance, kangaroos, wallaroos and wallabies are protected by the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (BC Act). The NSW Department of Planning and Environment website says that, under this Act, it is illegal to kill, injure or capture a kangaroo or 'attempt to harm' a kangaroo without a licence.
However, some reports suggest that the killing guidelines are deficient and impossible to enforce in outback Australia.
The Center for the Humane Economy said that multiple lawsuits have been filed in California in the summer of 2022 and early 2023, alleging that soccer retailers are illegally selling cleats made of kangaroo leather in violation of state law.
Pacelle said that he hopes Nike’s latest announcement will prompt Australia to toughen its laws around kangaroo hunting.
Kangaroo Industry Association of Australia president Ray Borda argued the leather is an eco-friendly option compared to alternatives.
“Nike changed their direction some time ago in 2021 as did Puma. From our perspective some of these materials decisions can be a move towards new synthetic alternatives rather than a move away from kangaroo. We have always seen shifts in and out of kangaroo and other leather over time by various brands and across various products.
"These relationships don’t underpin the industry – we have other shoe manufacturer’s that have increasing demand and recognise the environmental benefits of kangaroo leather. Kangaroo leather is fast becoming known as an eco-friendly option due to its longevity, biodegradability, and sustainability."
Borda said the industry is spearheading key initiatives including carbon footprint accreditation, claiming formal recognition that kangaroos have one-third the carbon footprint compared to cattle and sheep.
"They emit less methane, require less water, place less pressure on grazing lands, and don’t require energy to capture and contain," Borda said. "All commercial industry kangaroo leather is a by-product of the meat industry which would otherwise end up in landfill. Our priority is to use ethical and sustainable practices to turn a by-product into a valuable, premium product. This is a responsible approach in a circular economy – we’re all being encouraged to make better choices and move away from fast, disposable consumer goods.”