London-based product design and development consultancy ITERATE and US 3D printer OEM Carbon are collaborating to bring customized, high-performance sports equipment to a new level of personalization. By combining ITERATE’s human-centered design approach with Carbon’s Digital Light Synthesis (DLS) technology, the partnership enables products tailored to individual athletes while supporting more sustainable, on-demand production.
Designing for Human Performance
Unlike traditional 3D printing, Carbon’s process uses light and oxygen to produce high-resolution parts with flexible lattice structures that absorb impact, adapt to movement, and respond naturally to the body.
At ITERATE, personalization is also at the heart of every project. “Every athlete is unique – their body shape, movement patterns and performance demands all differ. The challenge for designers and engineers is to create products that adapt to those individualities. Through advanced materials, digital prototyping and additive manufacturing, that challenge is now being met,” explained ITERATE.
One example of this collaboration is the Energy Absorbing Arm Guard used in cricket, which incorporates energy-dissipating structures to protect high-risk areas while maintaining a full range of motion. The combination of ergonomic design and advanced materials demonstrates how AM can deliver custom-fit solutions that enhance both safety and performance.
Beyond personalization, AM also supports more sustainable production. Traditional mass production relies on forecasts, surplus inventory, and extensive tooling, generating waste. Carbon and ITERATE’s approach enables on-demand manufacturing, often closer to the user and using more sustainable materials, reducing excess production and extending product lifespan.
3D Printing Gains Momentum in Sports
Beyond cricket, 3D printing is pushing performance boundaries across various sports sectors. For example, in cycling,Fizik’s One-to-One custom saddle program—developed in collaboration with bike-fitting experts gebioMized and powered by OEM manufacturer Carbon’s 3D printing technology—secured the Gold Award in the Components category at the 2025 EUROBIKE Awards. By seamlessly integrating dynamic rider data, automated design, and additive manufacturing, the program exemplifies scalable personalization in performance cycling.
Elsewhere, Nike, the U.S.-based athletic wear company, developed a 3D printed sports bra using a new material called FlyWeb. The product is Nike’s first application of additive manufacturing in performance apparel.
FlyWeb is made from thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a soft and pliable polymer, and is fabricated through 3D printing rather than traditional knitting or weaving. The material forms a single, seamless layer tailored using computational design. Designers adjusted properties such as stretch, airflow, and support by modulating density across different zones of the garment. “It took years of re-engineering — not just the materials but the design approach itself — to make FlyWeb feel soft, breathable and beautiful enough for apparel,” said Janett Nichol, Nike’s Vice President of Innovation.
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Image featured shows 3D printed cricket arm guard. Image via ITERATE.
