Footwear made with additive manufacturing is a comparatively current revelation. Although the idea of 3D printing first entered the scene within the late 1970’s, it was solely included into the footwear {industry} three a long time later in 2014, with adidas’s Futurecraft 3D printed midsoles. Since then, 3D printing has taken over the footwear {industry}, with Reebok, Nike, Puma, New Stability and plenty of different {industry} giants embracing the expertise. ELASTIUM, a United Arab Emirates (UAE) primarily based startup, is the newest addition to the rising market of 3D printed sneakers, and is about to shock the footwear {industry} with its new foam sneakers. The corporate, based by engineer and tech entrepreneur Robert Karklinsh, goals to disrupt the $500 billion {industry} by providing totally 3D printed footwear produced from 100% recyclable foam supplies.
In contrast to different 3D printed footwear startups that depend on primary supplies and applied sciences, ELASTIUM combines lattice buildings with superior foams to create sustainable, customized, and extremely comfy sneakers. The lattice-structured low-density thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) foams utilized in ELASTIUM sneakers are fabricated by means of a proprietary granulate extrusion 3D printing expertise. This progressive method ensures that the sneakers are usually not solely tender and cozy but in addition present cushioning and resilience corresponding to high-performance sneakers from famend manufacturers like Nike and Adidas.
Constructed from a proprietary fused granulate fabrication (FGF) course of, the sneakers shall be out there in 13 completely different colours at $250 per pair
ELASTIUM employed a proprietary fused granulate fabrication (FGF) foam 3D printing expertise, which considerably reduces materials prices by utilizing industry-standard uncooked supplies within the type of granules. This cost-effectiveness units ELASTIUM other than different foam 3D printing processes and permits for versatile printing in a variety of densities.
Along with their progressive manufacturing course of, their sneakers provide superior high-performance thermoplastic foam that’s light-weight, tender, resilient, and machine cleanable. In contrast to different 3D printed footwear producers that depend on primary unfoamed supplies, ELASTIUM combines high-quality TPU foams with lattice buildings to create comfy and sturdy sneakers that may be worn with or with out socks. Moreover, the corporate embraces AI-inspired design. The primary mannequin, ELASTIUM-1, contains a mono-material design that was initially generated by AI after which refined by a footwear designer in 3D.
The Step Towards 3D Printing
Conventional shoe manufacturing processes are gradual, capital-intensive, and unsustainable. In actual fact, a staggering 22 out of 23 billion pairs of sneakers produced annually find yourself in landfills, the place they take a whole bunch of years to decompose. ELASTIUM is altering the sport by redefining footwear manufacturing. The corporate’s 3D printing expertise permits speedy, on-demand, localized manufacturing, making it each sustainable and environment friendly. Furthermore, ELASTIUM goals to democratize the footwear {industry} by offering a platform for particular person creators and types, making footwear manufacturing as straightforward as publishing an app on the App Retailer.
This manufacturing method is sustainable and on-demand, eliminating the necessity for conventional footwear manufacturing processes similar to mildew making, stitching, gluing, and storage. Not solely does it cut back prices but in addition considerably reduces carbon emissions. Furthermore, ELASTIUM sneakers are produced from recyclable TPU foam, guaranteeing that they are often repurposed into new pairs. One other distinctive side of launch is the introduction of NFTs (non-fungible tokens). ELASTIUM-1 sneakers shall be bought as restricted version bodily pairs and as NFTs, which grant the house owners the best to order and reorder bodily pairs even after the preliminary quantity is bought out. This progressive idea of digital possession permits holders of the NFTs to virtually develop into house owners of the design, with the power to commerce their rights and switch the digital asset into the bodily realm. For extra data, yow will discover the unique supply HERE.
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*All picture credit: ELASTIUM