3d knitting Sustainable Technology for footwear

Traditional shoe production relies on dozens of separate components, heavy adhesive use, labor-intensive assembly, and complex supply chains. The result: high costs, long lead times, significant waste, limited durability, and compromised comfort. Consumers demand more sustainable, repairable, and personalized footwear, but the industry lacked a truly integrated, glue-free process that could scale efficiently while delivering premium performance.

This opened a massive opportunity to disrupt the sports shoe sector by combining advanced circular knitting for seamless uppers with industrial 3D printing for soles—creating a streamlined, localizable, and highly customizable manufacturing model.

Developed together with decathlon and Hp team a fully integrated sports shoe of the future through synergistic technologies:

Santoni XT-MACHINE (intarsia circular knitting machine) for the shoe upper: Produces seamless single or double layer knitted “sock” structures in just minutes with zero waste threads. Features include breathable mesh areas, cushioning sculpted terry, transfer stitches, 3D patterning, and high-definition colored intarsia logos — all engineered on the same course for perfect anatomical fit, lightness, and zoned performance. The uppers emerge complete with eyelets and structural integrity, ready for assembly without stitching or adhesives.

HP Jet Fusion 5200 Multi Jet Fusion 3D printer using BASF Ultrasint TPU01 powder: Delivers midsole and outsole with exceptional shock absorption, flexibility, and durability in a single printed component.

The result is a glue-free assembly process where the knitted upper bonds directly to the 3D-printed sole. This enables:

Unparalleled comfort, lightness, and performance through mapped zonal structures.

High customizability — consumers can personalize colors, patterns, fit, and functional zones.

end-of-life recyclability.

Local production that cuts transportation emissions and supports regional economies.

reduction in production costs due to streamlined manufacturing process

 increase in shoe durability due to advanced materials and glue-free assembly method

Increased consumer satisfaction due to highly customizable footwear options

"This innovative approach to shoe manufacturing has had an incredible impact on the industry, paving the way for sustainable and customizable footwear options that deliver unmatched comfort, durability, and performance."

As Marketing & Business Development lead, I drove the strategic partnership between Decathlon, HP, and Santoni (Lonati Group), aligning technical capabilities with market needs to commercialize this breakthrough concept.

I mastered the Santoni XT-MACHINE—a single-cylinder INTARSIA machine with 4 reciprocating feeds—leveraging its full technical envelope (variable stitch structures, 3D patterning, eyelets, single/double-layer fabrics to deliver integrated, no-waste uppers ready for direct sole attachment.

I positioned its intarsia and 3D capabilities as the key enabler for lightweight, foot-mapped comfort and performance, while coordinating HP’s Jet Fusion 5200 for seamless midsole/outsole integration. My BD efforts secured ecosystem alignment, accelerated go-to-market validation, and showcased potential for local production and mass customization.