Shoes, clothing and accessories company Adidas is mass-producing a 3D-printed shoe in a partnership with a Silicon Valley, California, start-up.
Reuters reported that Adidas and Carbon will be able to produce the "Futurecraft 4D" shoes at a speed suitable for mass production.
“This is a milestone not only for us as a company, but also for the industry,” Gerd Manz, Adidas head of technology innovation, said. “We've cracked some of the boundaries.”
According to a news release from Adidas, Carbon uses light and oxygen to create items.
Although Adidas has existing customization options for customers ordering on their websites, Manz said those features will not be available up front for the Futurecraft shoes.
“Individualization will come, but you've got to learn to walk before you run,” he said.
The company announced the shoes Friday. It plans to produce more than 100,000 pairs by 2018.
The cost of the shoes have not yet been released, but the company said they will sell at a “premium price” with plans to eventually lower the cost.
A video on the creation of the shoes can be seen below.
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