Someday in the future, we will remember the strange times of 2020. Of social distancing, and Zoom orgies, rampant unemployment and terrifying death rates. But this may be the weirdest thing that we will remember about the Coronavirus pandemic – Nike has shifted some of their massive resources to making face masks for our medical workers to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Yep. Since people probably aren’t getting much use out of their AirMaxs or Jordans, Nike is going into the pandemic face mask business – creating very chic face guards out of shoe parts to make full-face shields and powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) lenses for healthcare workers.

Via TMZ:

Nike explained it’s repurposing collar-padding from shoes, cords from apparel, like bags, and the plastic used to make the brand’s signature Air soles to make the face shields.

… and we gotta admit, they look kinda cool, too.

“The full-face shields help protect healthcare workers’ faces and also help to prolong the length we can safely use a surgical or N95 mask,” said Dr. Miko Enomoto, associate professor at the Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine.

“Nike’s generous response to the COVID-19 crisis helps to instill an added layer of confidence and support for healthcare workers, that we can safely carry out the jobs we were born to do.”

What a strange world we live in. Someday you may pull out a strange piece of plastic with a Nike swoosh on it, and your grandchildren will ask, “what’s that Papa?” And boy will you have a story.