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Certain shoes are by default going to be genuine leather. When it comes to the Nike Air Force 1 however, real leather is not a guarantee.
I have to start off by stating that there is no consistent literature that exists on this topic. Nike has no official confirmation regarding whether Air Force 1 uppers contain “real” materials. In my experience, it varies on a case-by-case basis.
When purchasing a sneaker, the old adage “you get what you pay for” comes into play. For example, New Balance Made In USA and England sneakers. Higher retail costs generally translate to better, “genuine” materials. With Nike though, often times additional costs reflect other elements of a sneaker. This is as opposed to a direct correlation to material quality.
Are Nike Air Force 1 Real Leather
Air Force 1s use varying degrees of synthetic, genuine and recycled materials. Retail price level can indicate material composition.
General Releases – Synthetic
example of a “General Release” or GR
In my experience, the worst quality leather comes from general release Air Force 1s. The most famous example is the classic “white on white” pair. All white AF1s are consistently available, currently at a retail price of $90.
If you hold a pair of general release AF1s in hand, the lack of quality is immediately apparent. The “leather” appears to be a thin, plasticky material. Held side by side with a garment made of genuine or full grain leather reveals an obvious difference. Occasionally, these pairs will even include a sticker on the insole mentioning synthetic materials in the uppers.
As a general rule of thumb, I treat any pair of Air Force 1s coming in a gray box at $90 retail as likely having synthetic leather. Synthetic leather might be a composite that essentially contains scraps of leather and/or other materials. This material does not need prolonged usage for the material to break in.
Are Premium Releases Real Leather
Air Force 1s in the $120-140 retail range have better odds of real leather least somewhere in the upper.
A great example of this are the “Craft” Air Force 1s, which employ a soft, supple leather. This material typically has visible grain to it, unlike synthetics which at best might have a finish on them to simulate “grain”.
Searching the internet for information on this topic, a few sources on forums and sites like Reddit seem to confirm higher quality on pairs marked “premium”. While it’s not a guarantee, the odds that you are getting real leather improve on the more expensive (at retail) pairs in this category.
Designated “premium” due to it being
a retro of a well-known colorway.
Sometimes however, the “premium” label and associated price hike have less to do with material quality and more to do with the sneaker being a “special” release. Air Force 1s often are released in retro colorways based on historically famous pairs, which can be designated premium by the brand. Other times, the premium price refers to some extra details, embroidery or graphics used on the shoe. Finally, a “premium” pair can be a reference to a collaboration or otherwise limited release.
So, while a premium pair of AF1s listed at over $100 retail can indicate real leather being used in the upper, this is not always the case.
Crater / Move To Zero / Next Nature Air Force 1s
Some Air Force 1s are made from recycled materials as opposed to newly generated synthetic or real leathers. Increasingly, Nike is answering the call to be more efficient and less wasteful in production of their products.
Some pairs in this category are made by combining unused threads or scraps of other materials, recycled into a new textile for use on the upper. Even the midsoles and outsoles of these pairs are occasionally made with composites of recycled materials.
Being more ecologically sound is a goal that is worth going for. If you’re like me, you can appreciate a pair of full grain or genuine leather kicks. Soft, supple, legit pairs made from animals add a luxurious, premium quality to a pair of 1s. However, these resources are limited, and as such, it makes sense that increasing focus is put into more ecologically sustainable materials and less wastefulness.
With all that said, recycled or “move to zero” kicks from Nikes are not likely to contain large amounts pf actual leather (if any at all).
There’s No Way To Know For Sure
Unfortunately, unless Nike directly states that a shoe uses genuine or full grain leather, we are left to guess if this is a case on a pair by pair basis.
Generally speaking, the lower-tier pairs retailing under $100 are going to have lower quality materials on the upper that are likely synthetic. Thin, plasticky “leather” tends to comprise the bulk of these releases.
Recycled materials comprise some newer pairs of AF1s. While this is better for the environment and less wasteful overall, the odds that there are genuine bits of real leather mixed in with these materials is not high. I highly doubt Nike would promote a shoe as being made with the environment in mind while simultaneously using real animal skin in some form. Such a sneaker would be somewhat of a paradox!
The higher retail pairs that go for $120+ may have a real leather upper. It depends what Nike views is worthy of a price hike on that particular pair. Maybe its a collaboration or is inspired by an already well-known pair. There could be additional details such as graphics, embroidery, a hangtag, etc that Nike uses to justify the increase in retail price. Or maybe, just maybe, the sneaker is actually made with genuine, premium materials!