# 3D-Printed Knit Sneakers These Kicks Made From Polymer Yarn are Completely Recyclable By Ady Floyd | Published 2015-07-14 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/knit-sneakers References: [dezeen](http://www.dezeen.com/2015/07/12/ammo-liao-recyclable-bio-knit-trainers-royal-college-of-art-graduate/) & [dezeen](http://www.dezeen.com/events/2015/graduate-shows-2015/) Royal College of Art graduate Ammo Liao created these knit sneakers for the 2015 graduation show. The sneakers are called Bio-Knit trainers due to the eco-friendly fabric each shoe is made with. Every part of the shoe from the soles to the uppers is made from a [3D-printed recyclable material](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/exoskyn). The shoes are made from a single polymer yarn-like material that is extremely flexible and allows each shoe to be comfortable and easily movable. The uppers of each shoe are knitted flat and then attached to the 3D-printed sole. The idea for the knit sneakers came from Ammo Liao’s desire to create a shoe that could be recycled. The use of a single polymer allows the entire shoe to be recycled without going through a sorting process, which saves money, time and resources. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.4/10 - Popularity: 20% | Activity: 74% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **3d-printed Knit Sneakers:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in sustainable footwear through the use of 3D printing and recyclable materials. - **Eco-friendly Fabric:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in sustainable textiles using bio-knit materials for various applications. - **Single Polymer Yarn:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in recyclable materials using single polymer yarn for versatile products. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Footwear:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the footwear industry by creating environmentally friendly and recyclable sneakers. - **Textiles:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the textile industry through the development of eco-friendly fabrics made from polymer yarn. - **Materials Recycling:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the recycling industry by promoting the use of recyclable materials like single polymer yarn for various applications. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Custom 3D-Printed Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sean-wotherspoon-x-zellerfeld.md) - [Sustainable 3D-Printed Footwear](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/4dfwd-1.md) - [Textile-to-Textile Recycled Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/allbirds-remix.md) - [Compostable Sole Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/swave-sport.md) - [Sustainable Open-Style Sneaker Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/keen-uneek-360.md) - [Sustainable Modular Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/modular-sneaker-1.md) - [Sustainable Running Shoe Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/supernatural-runner.md) - [3D-Printed Sports Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nike-air-max-1000.md) - [Sustainable Single-Piece Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/on-cloudboom-strike-ls.md)