Nike unveils their first ever 3D printed shoe that’s primed and ready for the London marathon

19 Apr 2018

This Sunday all eyes will be on Olympic gold medal winner Eliud Kipchoge and his feet in particular, as he’ll be hoping to break a new world record at the London marathon, while wearing a pair of innovative Nike Flyprint trainers, that feature the first ever 3D printed uppers. These lightweight technologically advanced performance trainers have been specifically designed for Kipchoge and his personal running needs, by capturing data based on his unique foot shape and running style and using computer design tools to determine the ideal composition of the shoe.

The upper (the fabric that covers the top of the foot) is created by printing layers of thermoplastic polyurethane filaments, that fuse together, constructing an upper that creates less friction during wear compared to traditional knitted or woven upper designs. These unique uppers also can’t absorb water, they wick away more moisture and weigh 11grams less than previous Nike styles….all details Kipchoge hopes will help to achieve his winning dream. Nike are happy too, as these shoes were manufactured 16 times quicker than previous marathon winning models.

We’ll watch with interest to see if these impressive Nike Flyprint shoes will get Eliud Kipchoge across the wining line in first place and with a record breaking time and if this technology will revolutionise Nike’s future shoe design and manufacture processes.