We’ve seen the sports apparel industry transition from making gear for professional athletes to helping those on the frontlines battle the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Nike has now followed suit. The biggest shoe company in the world announced this week that it will donate 30,000 pairs of Air Zoom Pulse to help those risking it all to save the ill.
It’s the company’s “first shoe designed for the healthcare athlete, an everyday hero, Nike said in a statement.
It was earlier during the pandemic that Fanatics shifted from baseball jersey production to making personal protective equipment (PPE).
In addition to not having enough protection to fight the highly contagious disease, these healthcare workers need shoes that are more comfortable. We’re talking long and grueling shifts. And while a lot of the focus has been on the mental aspect of this battle for first responders, a physical toll is being taken on them.
Nike has committed to more than $25 million in COVID-19 relief efforts. It joins the rest of the sports community to doing everything possible to fight a pandemic that has now led to more than 3.5 million cases worldwide with 251,000-plus deaths.