Nike has launched the Air Max 1000.2, an upgraded version of its 2024 Air Max 1000, developed in collaboration with 3D printing footwear factory Zellerfeld. The all-black sneaker goes on sale May 7 via the Snkrs app at $179, with early raffle access through Zellerfeld from May 4.
Same DNA, Smarter Construction
The Air Max 1000.2 traces its lineage directly to Nike’s 1987 Air Max 1, preserving the silhouette, wavy mudguard pattern, and laceless construction that defined its predecessor. What has changed is under the hood: a redesigned outsole shape and refined lug geometry make the shoe faster to 3D print without altering the fit or feel.
The result is a nearly monolithic structure built from thermoplastic polyurethane, with the same plush Max Air cushioning, embedded Nike swoosh, and “air” lettering at the heel that carried over from the original 3D printed model. The all-black colorway replaces the tri-color of the classic Air Max 1, giving the design a cleaner, more utilitarian finish.
Zellerfeld’s Role and the Efficiency Gains
Zellerfeld, which also co-produced the original Air Max 1000, brings its extrusion-based 3D printing technology to the collaboration once again. The updated outsole design was developed specifically to reduce production complexity, cutting assembly time and material waste compared to conventional sneaker manufacturing, while maintaining the structural integrity and comfort of the first model.
The process allows for a shoe that is nearly fully printed in one continuous build, a key departure from the multi-component assembly lines that define traditional footwear production.
Zellerfeld and the Race to Scale 3D Printed Footwear
Nike’s push into 3D printed footwear offers one of the clearest examples of how the technology is moving from limited release to scalable production. Its partnership with Zellerfeld has progressed through successive product launches, platform expansions, and technical milestones.
Nike first introduced the Air Max 1000 in limited quantities in late 2024, with broader releases following in 2025 alongside the Air Max 95000, a second Zellerfeld collaboration built on Project Nectar technology, while Zellerfeld simultaneously extended its platform to Hugo Boss, designer Sean Wotherspoon, and UK luxury brand Mallet London.
The ambition behind all of it is explicitly about scale: Zellerfeld’s GEN3 printing system, launched in 2025, targets mass production with a system three times faster than its predecessor, multi-color capable, and fully autonomous, with CEO Cornelius Schmitt stating the company’s goal is to put printed shoes on every foot.
The most recent technical milestone came in early 2026, when Zellerfeld demonstrated dual-color printing in a single seamless pass on the Air Max 1000, described by Zellerfeld’s Chief Platform Officer as a first in commercial 3D printed footwear. The Air Max 1000.2 sits within that trajectory: each iteration refining not just the shoe, but the production system behind it.
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Featured image shows Nike Releases Upgraded Air Max 1000.2. Photo via Nike.
