Nike piloted a robotic circular shoe repair technology at its Nike Town London store, demonstrating the sustainable direction that major brands are taking at their retail outposts.

Key features

Nike debuted a new circular technology at Nike Town London this past September. Named B.I.L.L (Bot Initiated Longevity Lab), the system is robot-augmented and is capable of cleaning and repairing shoes in as little as 45 minutes. The pilot programme is intended to extend the lifespan of Nike products, helping meet the brand’s circularity and sustainability goals. Shoes are loaded into the machine – currently compatible with four different product lines – and a 3D model is created to identify the areas that need to be improved. Customers can select patches to repair different areas, adding an interactive element to the maintenance. The robot automates the process so that it can be done more time- and cost-effectively. The in-store service is complementary to other circular services, like Nike Refurbished, Nike Recycling, and Donation. 

FRAME’s take

Technology and initiatives similar to Nike’s B.I.L.L. have been on the rise recently, as we reported last year. The greater availability and growing popularity of circular initiatives has the potential to transform retail spaces that incorporate them. ‘Consumers, hungry for convenience, will need to be seduced into opting to wait for a while for their garment, accessory or item of homeware to be mended,' contributor Holly Friend wrote on the emergence of repair stores. 

A B.I.L.L. repair takes about 45 minutes, a period of time short enough that it’s logical for customers to wait it out and shop around – advantageous for Nike. But the brand understands this might not be enough to get customers to buy into the inconvenience of waiting. So the process cleverly engages customers, combatting the time of repair . Though only in its pilot stage, B.I.L.L.'s integration provides Nike with the opportunity to not only distinguish itself from its competition as an endorser of sustainability but to reimagine the customer experience in its physical stores.