Material Matters: Feeling the Breeze of adidas ClimaCool

The adjective ‘heat’ may be frequently thrown around in the sneaker world, but some of adidas’ hottest shoes have in fact been their coolest. Launched in the early 2000s as one of their flagship performance technologies, adidas ClimaCool underpinned a holistic design principle that eventually found its way into the lifestyle range, allowing sneakerheads and athletes alike to ‘Feel The Breeze’.

Keeping Feet Fresher

Major advancements in cushioning compounds and midsole materials may often be the focal point of sneaker technological innovation, but there have been some major developments concurrently happening on the material front. Leather uppers gave way to nylon in the 1970s, dramatically reducing weight and increasing breathability. At the same time, adidas explored knitting nylon – i.e. the net-like mesh panels that are ubiquitous today. To this day, companies are still developing upper materials that are lighter and more breathable.

Feel The Breeze

The new millennium was an exciting time to be a sneaker company, as brands continued the momentum of the 90s cushioning tech arms race, and adidas was ready for more. They launched ClimaCool in March of 2002 with the very enticing ‘Feel The Breeze’ TV spots that featured adi’s all-star roster of the time, including Australian freestyle swimming GOAT Ian ‘Thorpedo’ Thorpe, English footballer David Beckham, and tennis darling Anna Kournikova doing her best Marilyn Monroe impersonation.

ClimaCoolTube

ClimaCool was a particular focus for adidas as they continued upgrading the technology throughout the 2000s. A hilarious marketing campaign for the ClimaCool Cyclone in 2006 tapped into the nascent days of online viral videos – in fact, the above clip was uploaded barely a year into YouTube’s founding.

For more textile and fabric nerdery, check out the Material Matters section here.