One of the most important things about the people and companies we talk to at Trending Forwards is that they need to do something different… and that’s exactly what Syntilay does.
They have the lofty goal of changing the world of shoe production – not only in terms of how they are made, namely through 3D printing based on reams of data, but also by changing the way they are designed, designed and worn.
Syntilay uses advanced foot scanning technology to map and measure your feet. This involves taking thousands of measurements, which are then fed into a 3D printer that builds a shoe that fits just you – for the price of standard Birkenstocks.
This sounded truly revolutionary and you can read more about my colleague Peter’s experience when he decided to buy a pair for himself. However (spoiler alert): they are the best-fitting shoes he has ever worn.
With this in mind, we reached out to Syntilay to see if they would be participating in the Trending Forward series to see where technology is going and how it will change our lives in different ways.
Peter Horan and I were joined by Ben Weiss, CEO of Syntilay, and Joe Foster, the legendary founder of Reebok, representing the new brand’s leadership team.
In our conversation, we had the opportunity to talk to both of them not only about the technology used to create shoes using AI and 3D printing, but also about the cultural and fashion aspects of creating highly customized shoes.
Joe, 90, has seen tectonic shifts in the shoe business throughout his career. Shortly after the Second World War, he joined his family’s sports shoe business in Great Britain.
It was an innovator in the sports shoe business for its time, introducing new production methods (similar to what Syntilay is doing now). But Joe and his brother recognized the running boom of the early 1970s and founded Reebok to capitalize on it.
Joe said the “white space” that Reebok moved into, where the company saw a gap in the market for more mainstream athletic shoes that it could grow into and build incredible success, felt similar to the space that 3D printed shoes now offer.
First a technology company
The personalized note that accompanies the purchase of new shoes
From the start of our conversation, it’s clear that Syntilay’s goal is not just to make cheaper, custom-made shoes (although this is an essential part of the business model), but to revolutionize the market. They are already working with content creators and influencers to enable new forms and ideas, reducing production costs by 99% in some cases.
“(Our question was) How can we give content creators their own shoes and brands… an original design from the ground up,” Ben said. “How do you actually give a creative expression that is authentic and different and that captures the brand or the creator’s vision from the start?”
But the desire to revolutionize goes beyond that – while Syntilay uses advanced technology to make the shoes, Ben believes the company will be known more for technological changes than the shoes themselves. And it’s inspired by the revolution brought about by the big tech brands.
“We’ve seen the kind of dent the Apple Watch has made in the watch industry,” says Ben. “I mean, it completely changed the way traditional watch companies worked. They had their own versions of it.
“But there are a lot of great concepts from the Apple Watch that you could apply to shoes. I mean, the idea of a single screen with endless design possibilities is really cool. You know, you can do a lot of customization (with shoes) and there’s a lot you can do. But I think (we can also give the user their data) everyone seems interested in learning more about themselves.”
This means sensors and batteries are integrated into the footwear, allowing for more data about posture and health while being powered naturally by the wearer’s movement. 3D printed shoes that talk to your connected device ecosystem – and maybe even are powered by your own movement.
They believe that Syntilay not only uses technology to create personalized shoes for individuals, but can also offer personalization beyond the capabilities of any other brand. Currently, the sneakers and slides are made from TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane), a highly versatile elastomer with unique properties that offer both superior performance and processing flexibility.
However, the company has added additives to make it feel more like foam instead of hard plastic. But that doesn’t help solve a big problem: production is currently limited to half a million units, compared to the millions that brands like Nike can crank out.
It will be a matter of finding a way over this, because once the designs of someone like a UFC fighter or influencer prove successful, they can be produced in millions.
Much more was discussed in our in-depth conversation with Ben and Joe, such as how they can create a “leather effect” by giving people a 3D scan of their feet that can be used over and over again, and how they believe they can truly revolutionize a multi-billion dollar industry.
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