3D-Printed Knit Sneakers

These Kicks Made From Polymer Yarn are Completely Recyclable 

Published: Jul 14, 2015 • References: dezeen & dezeen
Royal College of Art graduate Ammo Liao created these knit sneakers for the 2015 graduation show. The sneakers are called Bio-Knit trainers due to the eco-friendly fabric each shoe is made with. Every part of the shoe from the soles to the uppers is made from a 3D-printed recyclable material.

The shoes are made from a single polymer yarn-like material that is extremely flexible and allows each shoe to be comfortable and easily movable. The uppers of each shoe are knitted flat and then attached to the 3D-printed sole.

The idea for the knit sneakers came from Ammo Liao’s desire to create a shoe that could be recycled. The use of a single polymer allows the entire shoe to be recycled without going through a sorting process, which saves money, time and resources.