Material Matters: 2021 Recap

2021 in the sneaker mainstream didn’t see sweeping changes on the material front as innovation was arguably stifled by some bigger picture challenges. This isn’t to say the needle wasn’t pushed forward, but the focus appeared to be more on making good things better. This is an admirable thing, particularly as the sneakersphere finds the delicate balance between developing new products for consumers to buy and manufacturing things that actually go the distance. As such, a majority of brands this year leaned on some familiar fabrics and proven textiles. Here are five that featured prominently.