In January 2021, Adidas sneakers paired with 3D-printed midsoles, fluorescent-colored shoes known as the 4D Fusio, were leaked by sneaker hype on Instagram.
The new shoe features a striking PrimeKnit upper that changes with black, pink, and orange braising, and you'll notice that while the midsole of the 4D Fusion relies on the now-iconic 3D-printed style associated with the Adidas Furturecraft brand, this is the first time it features multiple colors that blend into each other.
In 2019, Adidas also closed its Speedfactory factories in Germany and the United States. It moved to Asia to deploy 3D printing and other automation technologies to improve footwear production efficiency. While it may not be able to produce locally as SpeedFactories does, Adidas may already be laying the groundwork for a new way of making shoes, with SpeedFactories in Asia rather than the U.S. and Germany.
Adidas continues to upgrade its design and production technology steadily. Since the Futurecraft 4D shoes were first introduced in 2017, Adidas has worked with partners such as Stella McCartney, Pharrell Williams, and Lucas Films to design shoes with 3D-printed midsoles. Additionally, in October 2020, Adidas showed off an automatic knitting system capable of weaving the shoe's upper.
In its "3D Printed Footwear 2020-2030 Analysis of the Market Potential for 3D Printing in the Footwear Industry," Smartech Analysis predicts that 3D printing of shoes will generate more than $4.2 billion in annual revenue by 2025. Adidas is undoubtedly getting the most attention in this segment and seems to be the first company to establish a production workflow for large-scale 3D printing of shoe components.
The new 4D Fusion series is expected to sell on Jan. 15 for about $245.
