(English version below)
隨著 Nike 於 2023年3月正式宣佈於 2024 年或以後發售嘅產品全部不使用袋鼠皮，代表三大運動鞋廠 Nike Adidas 及 Puma 所推出嘅足球鞋系列都一致只會選用合成物料或牛皮，意味著名嘅 Nike Tiempo、Nike Premier、Adidas Copa、Puma King等等皇牌系列嘅精粹將會慢慢消失。點解無端端咁做？世界各企業都打緊ESG – Environment, Social & Governance 同 CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility 嘅旗號，以可持續發展及其他類近概念營運企業，務求使企業由一向商業化嘅定位，慢慢改變至為地球及社會生活有所裨益。簡單嚟講，就係希望減少以殘忍對待動物嘅方式製成商品呢個道德問題。再補充少少，其實呢個方向係近年三大廠不斷使用回收物料整鞋 (如Nike嘅 Next Nature 系列， Adidas 嘅海洋保護 Parley 系列等等) 已經可以察覺到。
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Nike Tiempo 10代即將推出，而唔少工廠洩露出嚟嘅相都可以見到鞋身嘅設計改用咗全覆蓋嘅皮革（並非如九代一樣鞋頭及內側大部份位置選用袋鼠皮），而鞋面將運用凹凸紋皮加強物理上嘅吸震力及柔軟度，以彌補物料上柔軟度嘅不足。現階段並未能確定牛皮鞋面仲是可存在，或者可能會更進取地運用合成皮革，大家可以拭目以待。
做假皮係咪 Nike 嘅專長？可以講係，因為早係10年前左右，Nike已經不斷係T90，CTR360，甚至較新少少嘅Magista等系列運用名為 Kanga-Lite 嘅彷袋鼠皮合成皮革。雖然呢種物料摸上手同袋鼠皮嘅差別都幾明顯，但起碼 Nike 呢樣野已經行先過其他品牌，而作為行業龍頭，小編都幾肯定即使係 Kanga-Lite 或類近嘅物料，大家都係會衝住去買 Tiempo。
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Adidas 早前推出嘅 Copa Pure就已經率先實行咗呢個無袋鼠皮嘅願景，運用一直係 Copa 使用嘅技術將牛皮同假皮無縫融合，牛皮更係做咗特殊處理，鞋面無車線嘅構造等等加強鞋頭及鞋身嘅柔軟度，而小編摸上手都真係感覺到 Copa Pure 嘅牛皮柔軟度係真係做得出色，不過未有機會落場試下同袋鼠皮嘅分別。另一邊廂，Puma 更新嘅 King 系列直程捨棄動物皮革，以一種叫做 K-Better (比袋鼠皮優勝) 嘅非動物皮革，加上 20% 嘅環保物料而製成。
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但，係咪真係無晒袋鼠皮足球鞋呢？答案並不是，因為一直以皮革足球鞋作主打嘅日本牌子美津濃，跟據我地供應商嘅消息，直至 2024 年所推出嘅 Morelia Neo 4 Beta （無錯，第四代即將來臨）都仲係會運用袋鼠皮。其他較少眾嘅牌子，如一向會使用 K-Leather 嘅 New Balance，除咗有 442 呢個袋鼠皮系列外， Furon 同 Tekela 兩個以合成纖維作主打嘅輕量系列都有時候會推出袋鼠皮版。放遠少少嚟講，近年越嚟越多香港波友會認識到嘅日本五人足球牌子 Desporte 一直都係大部份鞋款使用袋鼠皮，都係無停用嘅跡象，而更少眾嘅牌子 (如 Adler) 當然都係同樣情況。所以，雖然成個生態係袋鼠皮波砵，因為 Adidas Nike Puma嘅高市佔率，慢慢會從市場消失，但可能肯定嘅係 2024 年仲會有佢地出現。
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袋鼠皮嘅柔軟度比牛皮，小牛皮又或者係頭層牛皮都係高一大截。但隨住科技發展，似乎有越嚟越多嘅製鞋技術複製袋鼠皮所帶來嘅柔軟度，加上大環境下，大家睇嚟真係要焗著捨棄真正嘅袋鼠皮，以其他高質嘅物料作替代。影響到大家就一定，但當仲有其他都唔錯嘅選項下（其他牌子，或者改良過嘅合成皮），唔通大家真係因為無得著袋鼠皮而唔踢波咩…最多踢得差咪賴對波砵囉。
– BOOTMEISTER 小編
(Photo credit: FBLSM)
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[A generation without kangaroo leather]
As Nike has officially announced in March 2023 that all products released in or after 2024 will not use kangaroo leather, all the football boots series launched by the three major sports shoe manufacturers – Nike Adidas and Puma will only use synthetic materials or calf leather. The essence of the famous Nike Tiempo, Nike Premier, Adidas Copa, Puma King and other ace series will slowly disappear due to the change. What is the intention? Companies all over the world are holding on to the banners of ESG – Environment, Social & Governance and CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility, and operating their business with sustainable development and other similar concepts, such that companies can gradually transform from a commercial orientation to a global organization supporting human and social development. Simply put, it is the desire to reduce the moral issue of making products that cruelly treat to animals. In fact, this direction is already noticeable in recent years when the three major manufacturers continue to use recycled materials for shoes (such as Nike’s Next Nature series, Adidas’s Parley series targeted towards reducing ocean plastic, etc.).
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The 10th generation of Nike Tiempo is about to be launched, and it is observed from many leaked photos that the design of the body has changed to full-covered leather (not like the 9th generation, where the toe and most of the instep area are made of kangaroo leather). Patterns on the upper are observed to enhance the physical shock absorption and softness in compromising the lack of material softness. At this stage, it has not been confirmed whether upper are built by calf, or more aggressively, synthetic leather.
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Is making synthetic leather Nike’s specialty? It can be said so since as early as about 10 years ago, Nike has been using Kanga-Lite – a “fake” kangaroo leather constructed by synthetics for T90, CTR360, and even the Magista series. Although the difference between this material and kangaroo leather is obvious to the touch, Nike has at least already surpassed other brands in this way. As the leader in the industry, we are almost sure that even if it is Kanga-Lite or similar materials, everyone will still rush to buy Tiempos.
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Copa Pure, launched by Adidas earlier this year, has taken the lead in implementing the kangaroo leather-free vision, using the technology that has been used by Copa to seamlessly blend calf and synthetic leather. The calf leather has been specially treated, and the upper has no stitching so as to soften toe cap and the shoe body. We really felt the softness of Copa Pure’s calf, yet we didn’t have the opportunity to try the difference with the kangaroo leather on foot yet. On the other hand, Puma’s updated King series directly abandons animal leather, with a non-animal leather called K-Better (claimed to be better than kangaroo leather) as the replacement, plus 20% of environmentally friendly materials.
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But, are there really no more kangaroo leather boots? The answer is not as the Japanese giants Mizuno, who has been focusing on leather football boots, and according to the news from our local suppliers, will launch the Morelia Neo 4 Beta in 2024 (yes, the fourth generation is coming soon) with kangaroo leather. Other less renowned brands, such as New Balance, who has always used K-Leather in the 442 series and occasionally in the Furon and Tekela season, has no sign to abandon the use of kangaroo leather. The Japanese futsal brand Desporte has always used kangaroo leather for most of its shoes, and there is again no sign of discontinuation, same as other k-leather brands (e.g. Adler). As such, although a diminishing trend is observed, it is certain that k-leather football boots will still be there at least in 2024.
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The softness of kangaroo leather is much higher than that of calfskin leather. However, with the development of science and technology, more and more advanced shoemaking techniques are replicating the softness brought by kangaroo leather. With the overall trend in k-leather abandonment, it is likely that in the near future (say after few years) everyone would need to find their own replacement. There will definitely be impacts, but when there are other good options (other brands, or improved synthetic leather) as mitigation measures, I don’t think there will be football players who will stop playing because there would be no kangaroo leather boots… And you could try to blame your calf-leather or synthetic leather boots for your performance.
– BOOTMEISTER Editor
(Photo credit: FBLSM)
