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New Green-Friendly Nike Sneaker Carries Some Risk

The Air Jordan XX3--which will be unveiled at the NBA All-Star Game festivities this weekend--is at the forefront of a broader effort that is intended to please not just environmentalists and jocks but also Wall Street. It represents a systemic shake-up of the company that is supposed to result in manufacturing operations that are both carbon neutral and cheaper.

The elaborately stitched Air Jordan XX3 features the near absence of chemical-based glues and an outsole made of recycled material. Carrying a suggested retail price of $185, it is part of Nike's "Considered" program--a broad plan to reduce greenhouse gases and trim factory inefficiency.

Nike's manufacturing experiments presents some risks. The Air Jordan--which has generated an estimated $7 billion in sales since its launch in 1985--was built to appeal to young athletes looking to jump higher, land softly and most importantly look cool. How that consumer will respond to "green" products remains unclear. The first words out of Michael Jordan's mouth when he saw the plan were "It better work right,'" says Nike designer Tinker Hatfield.

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