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.
Described by Adidas as a material revolution, 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.
Adidas has developed a robotically woven upper called Strung
"Put simply, Strung is a totally new kind of textile that has never existed before," explained Adidas innovation designer Fionn Corcoran-Tadd.
"Knitting and weaving have been around for centuries, and for the first time we are able to break away from the constraints of those more traditional materials," he told Dezeen. "With the bespoke software and robotics, we are able to place threads of different material types in any direction, which is a first across industries."
The Futurecraft Strung shoe incorporates the new upper
Adidas created the Futurecraft Strung shoe with its newly developed upper and a 4D midsole to demonstrate the concept.
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.
Strung was woven by a robot
"Strung allows us to create something that's traditionally really hard to achieve at the same time. An upper that...