For any global brand that aspires to embrace sustainability in a way that’s meaningful and also profitable, Nike might just be the green standard. Without even breaking a sweat, Nike has gained significant respect from core environmentalists while never compromising on the power and influence of the iconic brand. When they introduced the Nike Considered line in 2005 many Nike fans – at least the audience that Nike covets – were reluctant to embrace the shoes. Performance and style seemed to be somewhat divorced from sustainability at that point. Many expected that Nike would release the Nike Considered line with new styles each season to appease the green movement and that the products would live separately from Nike’s performance and street wear lines. And for most brands, that would have sufficed.

But with the release of the Air Jordan XX3, Nike has done something remarkable by introducing a highly anticipated performance shoe that also just happens to be eco-friendly. In this case, the sustainability factor almost seems like an afterthought, since it’s secondarily cited as a product attribute in the launch.

Innovative technology (including a proprietary 3D stitching process) helped finally integrate performance, style and sustainability and Nike made a significant financial investment to do so. That’s where Nike should be really lauded – there seemed to be little pressure for Nike to take a risk by altering a blockbuster product – the XX3 would break new sales records regardless. But this launch is a watershed moment for the green movement – Nike has found the right way to embrace sustainability without alienating its consumer base through a disciplined approach to green marketing. If Nike succeeds here in selling sustainability to the masses, other consumer product brands might not feel the need to overtly hype their own green credentials. Instead, green marketing will just be an inherent component of an overall marketing plan and, in that case, much more authentic to the brand.