Adidas to release 3D-printed shoes
The future of personalized footwear has gotten a lot more interesting thanks to a recent update from Adidas revealing their plans to use 3D Printing technology to create a series of running shoes that will be the first of its kind.
The program is called Futurecraft 3D, which will feature never-before-seen concepts that are only possible through the use of 3D Printing technology. One of these concepts will be their running shoes that have been uniquely designed to match an individual's physical specifications.
In their update, Adidas claims that they hope to create a "flexible, fully breathable carbon copy of the athlete's own footprint, matching exact contours and pressure points."
The video that Adidas released along with their update shows one concept that will be included in the Futurecraft 3D program, but it's only the first.
The company has yet to announce other concepts they plan to develop, although Adidas does promise to "announce more ground-breaking design innovations in the coming six months and further support Adidas' ambition to be the best sports brand in the world."
Adidas isn't the only company that plans to use 3D Printing to get an edge in the footwear market. Feetz, a company that was originally based in California but announced their transfer to Tennessee, has already been receiving online pre-orders for 3D-printed shoes since 2014.
According to New York Guides, shoes aren't the only trending 3D-printable items today. Miniature family portraits, ceramic vases, headphones, and fashion caps are just some of the items on the list.
With these recent updates, the fashion industry appears to be gravitating towards the use of 3D Printing technology more and more. In fact, Hyperallergic also published an article a few days ago featuring photos of 3D-printed garments created through the combined efforts of students, designers, engineers, and media artists who participated in an event workshop that lasted from June to July of this year.