The future of footwear is here — at least, it is for Adidas.
The sportswear company has revealed a new concept shoe that involves 3D-printing and is completely customizable to the needs of an individual foot.
The Futurecraft 3D incorporates a customizable 3D-printed midsole that can be printed on the spot in-store. The idea is that you’ll be able to walk into an Adidas store, do a brief stint on a treadmill, and leave with a custom 3D-printed shoe that’s an exact copy of the runner’s footprint (aka your foot).
The shoe would be completely flexible and match the exact grooves, instep, and contours of the wearer’s foot for an experience that Adidas says will offer the best running experience ever. Adidas partnered up with 3D-printing specialist Materialise to design the particular shoe.
The new idea is part of Adidas’ experimental incubator and open source collaboration project, which is also called Futurecraft.
The move marks yet another initiative by the brand to keep up with the competition. From producing a waste-free shoe from plastic ocean trash, to a collaboration with Kanye West, and a 13-year contract with NBA star James Haden, we’re hearing a lot of Adidas buzz as of late.
But, back to the 3D-printed shoe; this video shows exactly how it’s made:
While the whole idea is still in the prototype stage, Adidas stresses that it’s a real statement of intent and has developed the tech to deliver the shoe in the future.