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3D Printed

2016 2017 Gift Guide Best Fashion Tech
Fashion, Gift Guide, Shoes

Holiday Gift Guide – Fashion Tech

2016 2017 Gift Guide Best Fashion Tech

Like flying cars and space hotels, we haven’t quite reached the “not so distant” future promised by fashion tech. LED laden dresses are far from the norm and we don’t yet have self fitting clothes. But that doesn’t mean fashion tech isn’t producing some incredible new ideas that have the potential to shift their industry. Even better, you can own some of these spectacular products today! Check out our list of the most exciting new fashion tech products that you can actually buy!  

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Adidas 3D Runner printed sneaker midsole Futurecraft 333 retail
Manufacturing, Shoes

Adidas Begins Selling Its First 3D Printed Sneaker: The 3D Runner

Adidas 3D Runner printed sneaker midsole Futurecraft 333 retail

Adidas has been eying the use of 3D printing technology in its sneakers for some time. Last Fall the footwear maker debuted a 3D printed concept shoe called Futurecraft 3D. The midsole was printed using a latticework technique that allowed the shoe to be firm when standing and cushiony when running. Furthermore, the midsole could be customized for your foot shape, pressure points, and impact pattern. Over a year later, Adidas is finally bringing to market its first 3D printed shoe. While Adidas hasn’t yet reached the customizable future it envisioned, the shoe is still exciting and marks an important first step for the company towards the future of footwear manufacturing. The new shoes, called 3D Runner, are available in a stunning, completely matte black design. The upper is crafted using the company’s 3D knitted Primeknit technology (also used on Ultra Boosts and Yeezys) while the midsole is completely 3D printed. The shoes look amazing, but don’t count on getting your hands on a pair.  

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Nike HP 3D Printed Sneakers Jet Fusion
Business, Manufacturing, Shoes, Sports

Nike Partners With HP For 3D Printing Technology

Nike HP 3D Printed Sneakers Jet Fusion

When you think of HP the first thing that comes to mind is probably computers or inkjet printers (or those terrible TouchPad ads). Moving forward, HP would like for you to add 3D printing to that list. The company has announced two new commercial printers which they believe will be game changers for both prototyping and manufacturing. We don’t normally cover industrial products, but the tech behind HP’s new Jet Fusion 3D printers is a significant step forward and could very well pave the path to an on-demand, 3D printed manufacturing economy. In fact, the technology is so game changing, Nike is partnering with HP to use the printers for future products.  

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New Balance Zante Generate 3D Printed Running Shoe Midsole Sale
Shoes, Sports

New Balance 3D Printed Sneakers Go On Sale 9am April 15th

New Balance Zante Generate 3D Printed Running Shoe Midsole Sale

Last year we were very excited about New Balance’s announcement that they would bring to retail a running shoe featuring a 3D printed midsole. The running footwear is designed for heal strikers, with a design formula similar to the company’s Fresh Foam line of sneakers. After almost 5 months, the company has finally announced the details of the launch. The sneakers will go on sale April 15th at 9am for $400. The original plan was to launch the limited edition sneaker both online and in the company’s Boston flagship store, with other select stores offering the footwear later in the year. It seems that the company’s launch plans might have tempered a bit since November though. New Balance is now only planning to sell 44 pairs of the shoes starting April 15th and there is no mention of it reaching further retail outlets at a later point. To give you an idea of how constrained supply is, if they offer the shoes in size 7 through 12, this would mean only 4 pairs of sneakers in each size. We were hoping for a bigger role-out of the 3D printed running shoes and wonder if it is an indiction of production woes with the technology.  

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Under Armour Architech 3D Printed Midsole Sneakers
Manufacturing, Shoes, Sports

Under Armour Releases Limited Edition 3D Printed Sneaker

Under Armour Launches Architech 3D Printed Midsole Sneakers

When Adidas showed off a prototype 3D printed shoe last year we were very excited to see such a giant leap forward in 3D printing, manufacturing, and sneaker design. What we didn’t realize was that within months there would be a slew of other shoe manufacturers jumping into the 3D printing “ring.” We have seen a second 3D printed sneaker from Adidas, have release plans from New Balance for a pair of kicks with printed midsoles, and even witnessed a successful Kickstarter for a fully 3D knitted shoe. Now we can add one more company to the list. Under Armour just announced a sneaker with a 3D printed midsole. The shoe, called UA Architech go on sale today for $300 through the company’s website and at their company store in Baltimore. The catch…Under Armour only produced 96 pairs. Like other sneakers with 3D printed midsoles, the design is based on a lattice structure. To ensure the pattern of their lattice design achieved the best possible balance of support, cushioning, flexibility, and energy return, the Under Armour used Autodesk’s Within software. Within takes a set of goal perimeters and then automatically generates the optimal 3D printing design. The result is a shoe which Under Armour claims has the “ultimate stability and cushioning.”  

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JS Shoes 3D knitted printed kickstarter
Manufacturing, Shoes

World’s First Entirely 3D Knitted Shoes Launch On Kickstarter

JS Shoes 3D knitted printed kickstarter

While most of us understand the concept of 3D printing, you might be a little less familiar with 3d knitting. The ingenious technology allows you to three dimensionally create fabric items in a specialized loom. This means that an entire garment can be created at once with zero waste; it emerges from the loom as a complete garment. Not only is this amazing for the environment, it also results in more comfortable clothing, since they are seamless. From a designer’s perspective, 3D knitting means clothing can be prototyped in a fraction of the time (and cost) versus the tradition cut and sew approach. The technology isn’t new (it emerged in the 1990’s) but it is finally gaining traction thanks to reduced costs and advances in tech. In fact, one of the very first stories we covered was an open source 3D knitting machine called Open Knit.  

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Year In Review

Year In Review: Editor’s Picks – Biggest News Of 2015

2015 Year In Review Wrap Up_Editors Picks Top Stories Wearables Fashion Tech Environment

From smartwatches, to connected dressing rooms, to recycled clothing, 2015 was an incredible year for fashion and technology. We saw advances to help us be better global citizens, encourage kids to be smarter, and keep us connected at all times. While 2016 promises to be the year that fashion tech and wearables begin to find their audience, 2015 laid the groundwork!

Head past the break as we take a look at the stories we believe shaped the industry in 2015 and that will define where the integration of fashion and technology is headed.  

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