Nike, the U.S.-based athletic wear company, has developed a 3D printed sports bra using a new material called FlyWeb. The garment is set to debut on June 26 during middle-distance runner Faith Kipyegon’s attempt to break the 4-minute mile barrier in Paris. 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.
Development centered on the sports bra, a product that has remained largely unchanged in terms of material construction. The printed design removes the multi-layer barrier typical of conventional sports bras, allowing for more airflow and reducing trapped moisture. Support comes from structure rather than compression or padding, with denser regions printed where containment is needed. According to Nichol, wear testers consistently said it felt as though they weren’t wearing anything at all: “That’s the No. 1 thing testers tell us: It disappears on your body yet somehow delivers incredible support.”
The decision to accelerate FlyWeb’s development came in parallel with Kipyegon’s “Breaking4” effort. Nike’s design team worked to move the material from prototype to product in anticipation of the event. “Everyone was a thought partner; we really put our heads together,” said Lisa Gibson, Senior Product Manager in Apparel Innovation. “And when you have a team working in synergy, believing in Faith and this moment, that’s when things start to magically unlock.”
FlyWeb moves responsively with the body without the need for seams, straps, or excess material. Nichol noted that some wearers reported being able to feel airflow on the chest for the first time while running, a sensation made possible by the garment’s open, breathable zones. “Most women have never experienced that while running,” she said. “We don’t even think about it because it’s just not something we’ve ever expected to feel.”
Nike has previously used 3D printing in footwear, but FlyWeb marks the company’s entry into 3D printed performance clothing. The debut also reflects ongoing efforts within the industry to explore additive manufacturing for next-to-skin applications. While no additional FlyWeb products have been announced, Nike has indicated that the project is ongoing. “This is a true unlock, not just for bras but for how we design and build high-performance apparel going forward,” said Nichol. “It opens the door to entirely new ideas for how athletes experience sport through what they wear.”
Direct-to-garment and textile applications of 3D printing
3D printing has steadily expanded into the fashion sector over the past several years, driven by innovations in direct-to-garment technologies and on-demand customization. In February, the New York Embroidery Studio (NYES), a design firm known for work on events like the MET Gala, integrated Stratasys’s J850 TechStyle printer into its operations. The system allows full-color 3D printing directly onto fabrics, enabling precise tactile embellishments and reduced material waste. A year later, Stratasys extended these capabilities with a Direct-to-Garment (D2G) feature supporting a wide range of textiles, including denim and polyester. NYES cited the technology as central to its production workflow and sustainability goals, offering new possibilities for high-end and industrial fashion use cases.
Independent brands have also adopted 3D printing to bypass traditional constraints in garment production. At the WINGS 2025 Independent Fashion Festival, Australian label Amiss presented a debut collection produced using Creality’s fabrication tools. The designers used the Otter Lite 3D scanner to capture organic textures from natural environments, then printed corsets, accessories, and structural garments in-house with the K2 Plus 3D printer. Prototypes that previously took weeks were completed in under two hours. Additional elements were produced using the Falcon2 Pro 60W laser cutter to create custom textiles and shapes. Co-founders Vanessa and Josh reported that this approach reduced costs, accelerated development, and eliminated the need for external manufacturing.
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Featured image shows a close-up of the 3D printing process used to manufacture Nike’s FlyWeb fabric. Photo via Nike.
