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Adidas Futurecraft 4D starts a new era of 3D-printed shoes
Adidas is back with another sneaker based on a 3D-printed midsole, but this time the company says it's moving even closer to mass production. The Futurecraft 4D shoe will be the first one using Carbon's "Digital Light Synthesis" process. The Silicon Valley company's tech creates 3D items by blasting liquid with light, which Adidas says will allow it to operate on "a completely different manufacturing scale." The shoes themselves have a slightly different midsole than their predecessors too, matching last week's leaked model with a midsole that protrudes horizontally, increasing the visual 3D effect.
Taking a walk in Adidas' 3D-printed running shoes
It's hard to believe it was only last year when Adidas revealed its first 3D-printed shoe concept. But the German sportswear giant is moving fast with its Futurecraft project, a collection of innovative footwear that also includes biodegradable sneakers. The latest in this line is the Adidas 3D Runner, which features a midsole and heel tab created from 3D-printing materials. Primeknit, the same fabric used on Three-Stripe models such as the Yeezy and Ultra Boost, makes up most of the rest of the silhouette.
Adidas' latest 3D-printed running shoe will cost you $333
3D printing has proven to be useful across many different areas, including the creation of lifestyle products for consumers. Adidas, for one, began toying with the idea of 3D-printed footwear in recent years, which led to the introduction of its Futurecraft 3D concept in 2015. But the German sportswear company doesn't want to stop there. Today, it announced that it will be selling a 3D-printed running shoe for the first time, albeit in limited-edition form. Not to crush your enthusiasm early on, but these are going to be hard to get.
Adidas rewards its medal-winning Olympians with 3D-printed shoes
It's too early to tell whether 3D-printed footwear will ever be more than a gimmick. Still, you have to give credit to sportswear brands for trying something new, even if in some cases 3D printing is only used to make outsole prototypes. Last year, Adidas began showing the potential of the technology with concepts like Futurecraft 3D, a running shoe made partially out of 3D-printed materials. And now the company's taking that one step further: it created a ready-to-wear pair for its sponsored athletes at the 2016 Rio Olympics. As its name suggests, though, the "3D-printed Winners Shoe" will be limited to those who win a medal in Brazil.
Adidas Futurecraft 3D shows the potential of 3D-printed shoes
3D printing is far from being a novel manufacturing technique, but it wasn't until recently that we started seeing the benefits of it on a grander scale. Organs and prosthetics? Check. Clothing? Sure. 3D-printed footwear? Now we have those, too. Enter the Adidas Futurecraft 3D, a running shoe made partially with 3D-printed materials. Although the midsole is the only 3D-printed piece so far, the company's prototype still gives us a glimpse at what shoes might look like in the near future.
Adidas Futurecraft 3D: A running shoe made with 3D-printed materials
While Kanye West is worried about people 3D-printing shoes at home, his contractor Adidas believes the technology will play a major role in the future of footwear. (West designs the Yeezy shoe and clothing line for the Three-Stripes brand.) To show this, Adidas today introduced Futurecraft 3D, a running shoe made with a 3D-printed midsole which can be tailored to your foot -- down to the cushioning needs. While this is a conceptual prototype, the company does emphasize it's still a real statement of intent, noting it has developed proprietary 3D printing tech to deliver the product in the future. "Imagine walking into an Adidas store, running briefly on a treadmill and instantly getting a 3D-printed running shoe," Adidas says, "this is the ambition of the Adidas 3D-printed midsole."
