From artful high heels to custom sneaker designs, 3D printing is doing great things for reviving the art of crafting bespoke shoes. Beyond improving aesthetics, fit and reducing waste, New Balance is using this technology to help athletes improve their personal performance. With a set of 3D printed components, New Balance is out to prove that customization is what athletes need to get ahead. The company is experimenting with personalized spiked tracks on the undersides of shoes, which helps to improve traction.
Each and every runner is able to get their own unique set of plates for the bottom of their New Balance sneakers based on data collected about an individual's pressure, strike and foot force. Armed with this information, New Balance is better able to design shoes that are lighter and better at propulsion.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Custom Performance Footwear
- 3D printing technology is revolutionizing the customization of high-performance footwear, creating a new market for athletes seeking the perfect fit and enhanced performance.
- Data-driven Personalization
- New Balance's use of data collection and analysis to customize the design of personal performance footwear offers opportunities for disruptive innovation in the sports equipment industry.
- Advanced Shoe Technology
- The use of technologies such as 3D printing and pressure-mapping to create exceptionally functional and personalized footwear presents opportunities for the development of new, high-tech footwear products.
Where This Applies
- Sporting Goods
- New Balance's experimentation with 3D-printed components for personalized, data-driven shoe designs offers opportunities for disruptive innovation in the sporting goods industry.
- Athletic Training
- The development of data-driven, custom footwear using technologies such as 3D printing and pressure-mapping presents opportunities for disruptive innovation in the athletic training industry.
- Fashion
- The use of 3D printing technology to create custom and personalized shoe designs represents a disruptive innovation opportunity within the fashion industry.
