Following the sale of one million shoes made of recycled ocean plastic in 2017, Adidas says it plans to 3D-print 100,000 shoes in 2018 as it continues to explore innovative materials and production methods.
In a TV interview with CNBC following the German sneaker maker’s quarterly earnings report that revealed a 12% increase in quarterly sales, Adidas CEO Kasper Rorsted said the company reached a target set one year ago of selling 1 million plastic shoes.
The company, he said, is now committed to selling 100,000 3D-printed shoes through Adidas’ partnership with additive manufacturing company Carbon, as it looks to partner with companies that are pushing the boundaries in recycled materials and manufacturing.
“That’s where we invest money: in companies that have the technology we need or companies that have materials that are unique,” he said.
In December, Adidas’ investment arm Hydra Ventures participated in a $200 million Series D funding round for Silicon Valley-based Carbon. A month later, Adidas’ executive board member and global brands head Eric Liedtke joined Carbon’s board of directors.
At the time, Carbon said the appointment built on a partnership that was “committed to continuously pushing boundaries and innovation across all aspects of the production process.” The company has said it’s dedicated to building a “digital 3D manufacturing” platform for polymeric products on a mass scale.
One of the first products born out of Adidas’ partnership with Carbon was the Adidas 3D-printed Futurecraft 4D sneaker, which hit store shelves in New York City with a hefty price tag of $300 in January following a year of hype.
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The Futurecraft sneakers focus on midsole geometrics with 3D printable materials that Carbon says pave the way for customization. In other words, it’s looking to create high performance shoes that can be quickly and efficiently tailored to each customer through the additive manufacturing process, rather than through traditional manufacturing that would require significant more time and resources.
While plastic and 3D-printed shoes haven’t contributed significantly to its growth just yet (Adidas’ revenue last quarter was driven by sales in China and North America), Adidas’ investment in them signals a forward-thinking view as it looks to adapt to demand for customization and greener materials.
The company has been partnering with Parley for the Oceans to develop shoes out of recycled plastic and raise awareness about ocean pollution since 2015. Adidas and Parley have unveiled a number of products over the past few years, including running shoes and swimsuits.