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The race to ditch moulds and adopt more freedom for shoe outsoles has seen Reebok take the lead, as it looks to open a ‘Liquid Factory’ in Rhode Island, USA next year.
Using a custom 3D printer to pipe a proprietary liquid material developed by BASF, the current parts form the first step in producing fully formed shoe outsoles.
Upscaling this process to take over an entire new US outpost could see footwear becoming one of the first major US reshoring success stories thanks to digital manufacturing.
Other benefits include materials with much more exciting properties than current rubbers, with the initial 3D printed model – Liquid Speed – offering twice the energy return of standard outsoles, potentially leading to further enhancements for sports.
