# Bamboo-Inspired Kicks NBA Athlete Kevin Durant Releases the Bamboo KD 6 Editions By Thomas Wade-West | Published 2013-09-07 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bamboo-chinese-kicks References: [sneakernews](http://sneakernews.com/2013/09/05/nike-kd-6-bamboo-beauty-shots/) Basketball season is about to start, which means we can expect a ton of new endorsed sneakers to hit shelves this Fall. One sneaker that has received a lot of attention is Kevin Durant's KD 6 'Bamboo.' Coming off a near-championship title in 2012, KD and his sneakers are coming back at full force. Besides being visually eye-catching, the 'bamboo' concept is both representative of a few key things, and metaphoric. In Chinese culture, the bamboo plant is representative of strength and growth, which are two primary qualities that have been used to describe Kevin Durant's playing style and athletic ability in the [NBA](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/book-1-sneaker). This [green, leafy color-way](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/abundance-colorway) is eye-catching and will be an optimal choice for athletes and fashion gurus. You will be able to lock down your pair on September 14th when they drop in North America. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.4/10 - Popularity: 55% | Activity: 70% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 90% men, 10% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Sports](https://www.trendhunter.com/sports) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Bamboo-inspired Sneakers:** Opportunity for footwear brands to innovate by incorporating bamboo-inspired designs and colors in their sneaker collections. - **Athlete-endorsed Sneakers:** Potential for sneaker brands to collaborate with professional athletes, creating limited edition sneakers that reflect the athlete's persona and playing style. - **Symbolism in Sneaker Design:** Chance for sneaker designers to leverage cultural symbolism, like the representation of strength and growth, to create unique and meaningful sneaker designs. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Footwear:** Disruptive innovation opportunity for the footwear industry to explore eco-friendly materials like bamboo and incorporate them into their product lines. - **Sports Marketing:** Potential for sports marketing agencies to facilitate collaborations between professional athletes and sneaker brands, leveraging the athlete's popularity and image to drive sales. - **Fashion:** Opportunity for fashion brands to introduce athleisure wear that combines athletic performance with fashion-forward designs, catering to the growing trend of sportswear in everyday fashion. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Stealthy Tonal Basketball Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kd-18.md) - [Vibrant Festive Basketball Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kd17.md) - [Golden Tinged Basketball Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kd-4.md) - [Silver-Tinged Lifestyle Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/soft-pearl.md) - [Agile Eye-Catching Basketball Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/anta-kai-1.md) - [Textured Seasonal Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/leaf-camo.md) - [Athlete-Approved Performance Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kai3-performance-shoe.md) - [Dynamic Fashion-Forward Basketball Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/basketball-sneaker-1.md) - [Statue-Inspired Basketball Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sabrina-3-statue.md)