3D printed footwear startup ELASTIUM has partnered with LaLaLand Production & Design, California’s largest shoe manufacturer, to expand 3D printing in the footwear industry. The companies hope to accelerate localized and sustainable mass production through their No-MMOQ hybrid production model.
The No-Minimum-and-Maximum-Order-Quantity (No-MMOQ) approach combines 3D printing with conventional mass manufacturing techniques. It can reportedly cut investment costs by up to 80%, offering brands the flexibility to go from concept to market in a matter of weeks without minimum or maximum order quantities.
The first product to be launched under this collaboration is the Orca, Elastium’s latest 3D printed sneaker. Produced at LaLaLand’s Los Angeles factory, it combines a TPU foam 3D printed midsole with a combined elastane and 3D printed TPU upper. With prices starting at $250, shipments of the new 3D printed shoes are set to commence in November 2024.
Elastium and LaLaLand partner to scale 3D printed footwear
Challenges associated with traditional manufacturing and complex supply chains have long been faced by footwear manufacturers. Moreover, emerging geopolitical threats, sustainability goals, stockpile accumulation, logistical overheads and upfront investments have accelerated the demand for localized production.
Last year, Elastium launched its first fully 3D printed sneakers made from 100% recyclable foam. Called ‘SHOE1,’ the shoes are made from a novel lattice-structured low-density thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) foam material. Notably, SHOE1 is only available on-demand in limited quantities. Now, the company is moving away from fully-3D printed footwear to unlock localized, mass production.
While 3D printing offers value for rapid and straightforward localization, Elastium claims reliance on additive manufacturing limits scalability and product variation. Therefore, the firm has combined the high-volume manufacturing capabilities of LaLaLand, which serves global clients such as LVMH, Gap, and Amiri, with its pellet-based 3D printing technology technology (FIDEM).
“For years, there has been a belief that 3D printing and other advanced technologies would revolutionize footwear by replacing traditional manufacturing,” commented Elastium’s Founder, Robert Karklinsh. He called the idea of “3D-printed shoes grown like potatoes in 3D printer farms” fascinating but impractical for meeting consumer demands.
Instead, he believes high-volume, localized footwear production can only be achieved by integrating “all kinds of technologies and craftsmanship.” Karklinsh added that fully 3D printed “potato shoes” are seen as just another trend by consumers, “rather than a revolution.”
Introducing No-MMOQ hybrid shoe production
To successfully accelerate a market shift towards localized production, Elastium and LaLaLand have introduced No-MMOQ. This hybrid production model combines the agility of 3D printing with the scalability and design flexibility of traditional manufacturing.
It reportedly integrates mass production and Elastium’s shoe-3D printing technology into a single pipeline. Brands can use this model to initially launch a limited run of 3D printed designs, before reintroducing them through mass production without compromising on quality or cost.
According to Elastium, this flexibility is enabled by its ability to ‘bridge the gap between 3D printed and molded shoes.’ The firm has developed a proprietary 3D printed foam that offers over 75% energy return and superior cushioning performance to standard EVA equivalents.
The company’s approach reportedly differentiates from other 3D printed sneaker manufacturers. This is because it requires no alterations to molded designs and supports many standard molding features at similar production costs. Elastium’s FIDEM, pellet-3D printing approach is said to provide ‘massive shortcuts’ between 3D printing and LaLaLand’s traditional molding technology.
3D printed sneakers hit the shelves
Elastium and LaLaLand are not the only companies targeting mass production through a combined manufacturing approach. Farsoon Technologies is 3D printing molds which have produced 100 million shoes.
The company has integrated its metal 3D printers into conventional manufacturing workflows to fabricate athletic and casual footwear molds. Farsoon began prototyping and testing its first shoe molds in 2019, which were reportedly adopted by a ‘leading footwear brand’ in 2020. Last year, the FS350M-4 3D printer was introduced to the shoe market, with its 3D printed EVA molds reaching industrial production levels shortly after.
According to Farsoon, additive manufacturing overcomes common challenges associated with complex production steps, labor shortages, precision requirements, and sustainability targets. 3D printing reportedly streamlines the process, with digital texturing enabling the precise replication of intricate patterns. Additionally, the shorter production cycles unlocked by 3D printing are especially valuable for footwear brands which produce numerous designs each year to keep up with seasonal fashion trends.
On the other hand, some companies have focused on 3D printing limited-edition shoes in smaller quantities. Last year, Multinational printing firm HP partnered with Brooks Running to develop Exhilarate-BL running shoes with a 3D printed midsole.
The unique offering is specifically tailored to the runner’s data, optimizing cushioning and bounce. 3D printed using HP’s Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) 3D printing technology, they are said to outperform 90% of midsoles in today’s market. The shoes were initially launched through a limited release to select Wear Testers and Run Club members.
Elsewhere, sports equipment manufacturing firm Adidas introduced the MC87 4D, a limited-edition golf shoe featuring a 3D printed midsole. The midsole was produced using US 3D printer OEM Carbon’s Digital Light Synthesis (DLS) technology. This reportedly allowed designers and engineers to iterate faster, consolidate parts, and produce geometries not possible with conventional molding.
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Featured image shows an Orca 3D printed shoe. Image via Elastium.
