Sportswear brand Adidas has worked with design studio Kram/Weisshaar to create a robotically-woven upper called Strung that can be made to the exact specification of athletes.
The upper is woven from multi-directional threads by a robot that is programmed to create a shoe that responds to the exact requirements of the wearer, based on factors such as their individual stride and foot shape.
The additive-manufacturing process means that a lightweight and stronger upper can be made with threads placed exactly where they are needed for strength or flexibility.
At present, the Strung upper is being developed for elite athletes, but Adidas is aiming to scale up production with the aim of producing a commercially available shoe at the end of 2021.
