Your favorite trainer is flawed. Sure, it roughly fits the length and width of your foot, but it probably doesn鈥檛 accom颅modate your unique stride or long middle toe. To address this, manufacturers are embracing technologies that 颅allow them to make personalized design changes with just a few keystrokes.
In the past six months, two companies鈥 and 颅鈥攂egan printing insoles based on smartphone photos 颅uploaded by customers (cost: $99 and up). But it鈥檚 the technol颅ogy used by big brands like 颅Adidas, Brooks, and Nike that could revolutionize athletic footwear.
鈥淲e鈥檙e 颅going to see a high level of custom颅ization,鈥 says Katherine Petrecca, who heads up New Bal颅ance鈥檚 innovation studio. 鈥淚t鈥檚 in beta now, but we may have a consumer shoe within the next three years.鈥 When bespoke trainers arrive, these are the methods that will make them the finest you鈥檝e ever laced up.
Selective聽Laser Sintering
How It Works: A 3-D printer uses heat from a laser to fuse powdered plastic into a finely detailed solid. The process allows for unprecedented control over shape and density, creating a 鈥渃opy of the athlete鈥檚 footprint,鈥 says Paul Gaudio, global creative director at Adidas.
Who Will Use It:聽Adidas, New Balance, Nike, Under Armour
Laser Siping
How It Works: By cutting precision grooves into a traditionally molded sole, designers can create the perfect ride, altering flexibility, cushioning, and support anywhere a runner wants. 鈥淒ifferent depths and gaps create different sensations,鈥 says Tae Lee, a design director at Nike.聽
Who Will Use It:听狈颈办别
颁颈谤肠耻濒补谤听碍苍颈迟迟颈苍驳
How It Works:聽A computer-controlled machine creates custom shapes and zones in a shoe鈥檚 upper that provide extra support or flex where a runner needs it. Nike uses the process in its Flyknit models and has hinted at the possibility of customization.
Who Will Use It:聽颅Adidas, ASICS, Brooks, Nike, Pearl Izumi