Nike announced it would stop using kangaroo leather for its Tiempo soccer boot line two weeks after PUMA said it would stop producing football boots with such material this year.
According to Nike, it will replace the kangaroo leathers with a proprietary synthetic upper beginning this year.
A bill passed in Oregon earlier this year will soon prohibit the sale of any kangaroo parts or kangaroo-based products.
With Nike’s Beaverton headquarters based in the state, the new mandate may have played a significant role in the decision.
Kangaroo leather, which is lighter, stronger, and more flexible than cow and goat hide, is commonly used in top soccer cheat models, such as the Nike Tiempo 9 Elite, Puma KING, and Adidas Predator Pulse lines.
Earlier this month, PUMA revealed that its flagship KING soccer boot will feature non-animal-based upper materials with at least 20 percent recycled fabrics, dubbed “K-BETTER.”
