Adidas 3D-printed shoes will be uniquely personalized

Today, Adidas released this gorgeous video signalling a new direction for the brand.

This, as you can image, would lead to an optimal running experience, and we may one day see 3D printers pumping out Futurecraft 3D midsoles in Adidas stores around the world. 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.

Called Futurecraft 3D, this lightweight, high-performance footwear boasts a running shoe midsole that you can tailor to your foot’s own cushioning needs, a clear advantage over buying off the shelf.

As of now, the Adidas Futurecraft 3D midsole is just a concept, still in the early prototype stage.

She also noted that Paul Gaudio, Adidas’ Portland-based creative director, has been heavily involved in Futurecraft 3D’s creation.

The goal of “Futurecraft 3D” was to have customers run briefly on a treadmill at a participating store, with performance data used to create individualised products.

With both “data sourcing and footscan technologies”, this Adidas program will creat a “flexible, fully breathable carbon copy of the athlete’s own footprint, matching exact contours and pressure points”.

Like a good running shoe should, this running shoe will work with your body to make the most of what you’ve got. “But to do that, we need to turn to partners and externals who can help us fulfill our vision”, Liedtke said, admitting that “It’s not so easy to do everything by yourself”.

The Futurecraft 3D midsole is only the beginning: Adidas plans to announce more “groundbreaking design innovations” in the next six months. Driving material and process innovation, bringing the familiar into the future.