A 3D printed TPU platform is the key to both comfort and sustainability for these custom heels manufactured on demand.

The personalization enabled by 3D printing is a natural match for consumer items such as footwear, but the technology may also provide significant environmental advantages. Hilos shoes has created 3D printed Shoes by combining a bespoke 3D printed TPU foundation with a leather top to create a luxurious pair of shoes that are made on demand and with no waste — even using less water than traditional shoe production. The actual secret to these shoes, however, is in their construction; an ancient attaching technique holds each pair of Hilos together for as long as the owner owns them, and then makes it simple to recycle all of the shoe’s pieces when they return to the maker.