Adidas Wants to Create Bespoke Running Shoes Using 3-D Printing

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Adidas has a big announcement related to sneaker brands' arms race to utilize 3-D printing technology. Today, Adidas unveiled "Futurecraft 3D," a concept product using new technology that allows the German sportswear brand to create completely customized running shoe midsoles. It's all possible due to 3-D printing, with the goal of designing shoes that are flexible, breathable, and virtually a carbon copy of each athlete's own footprint.

Here's how it's envisioned to work: you'd go to an Adidas store, run on a treadmill for a bit, and then you'd instantly get a bespoke 3-D printed running shoe. The Futurecraft 3D series concept utilizes footscan technologies and open source collaboration.

The midsole is the first offering from Adidas's Futurecraft series, and the company plans to announce additional design innovations in the coming six months. As for when the Futurecraft 3D technology might hit stores, a press representative told Racked that Adidas has not yet set a market launch date for stores, but the plan is to be able to make further announcements in early 2016. Other fashion brands that have embraced 3-D printing include Chanel, which utilized the technology for its fall 2015 couture collection.