References to sports and the upcoming Olympic Games have appeared in various collections in the past few weeks. Dior wasn't the only fashion house to hint at Olympian excellence: Thom Browne's Haute Couture A/W 24 collection included a dress revealing muscles, hinting at the toned bodies of athletes, and three sequined and embroidered blazers in bronze, silver, and gold (all matched with boots featuring soles sprouting running cleats), recreating the Olympic medal podium. Browne's collection also closed with a model framed by an oversized Olympic laurel.
Yet, as the games kick off later this week, our focus shouldn't just be on medals, podiums, and collections paying tribute to the games, but on the actual performances. Some of these performances will indeed be accompanied by new technical developments worth noting.
While most of us may have thought the spray-on shoes in the animated film Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs were pure fantasy (at least until we saw also a spray-on dress on the runways...) with some serious nightmarish side effects (in the film they can't come off once you've sprayed them on...), the Swiss brand On, founded in Zurich by Olivier Bernhard, David Allemann, and Caspar Coppetti in 2010, has made them a reality and the best part is that On has even overcome the initial problem Flint Lockwood had in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.
The inspiration for the shoes actually came from a Halloween decoration, not the animated film. A member of the On Innovation Team saw a video of a hot glue gun making spider webs and thought the technology could be used for shoes. They created a prototype with a modified hot glue gun and then developed a unit that produces a continuous filament.
The results of more trials and errors led the research teams to the final model: the Cloudboom Strike LS trainer features a foam-rubber and carbon fiber sole topped by a lightweight, low-carbon upper. This upper is created in just one production step by spraying a single 1.5-kilometer-long thermoplastic filament onto a mold using a robotic arm. The upper is attached to the midsole, which contains 40 percent castor oil, using thermal fusing technology.
Remarkably, this shoe sets a record, as the upper can be sprayed in just three minutes. It weighs only 30 grams, with the entire men's trainer weighing just 170 grams and the women's trainer only 158 grams - hence the sprayable technology is called LightSpray™.
This manufacturing process eliminates the need for multiple materials: while some modern uppers may be knitted or woven, most are made from leather or PVC and glued to the rest of the shoe. Recycling materials and components from ordinary trainers is practically impossible due to the lengthy and expensive disassembly process, making traditional sneakers highly polluting.
The Cloudboom Strike LS trainer is made using just seven components, eliminating the need for laces and making the shoes easier to recycle. The shoes can indeed be melted down and remade, contributing to their sustainability. Additionally, the manufacturing process, being shorter, produces lower carbon emissions compared to other trainers, including On’s other racing shoes.
These shoes offer both comfort and performance, making them ideal for athletes. The ability to rapidly prototype the footwear means that athletes can quickly receive shoes tailored to their fit and preferences.
At the Paris Olympic Games, several athletes, including Kenyan long-distance runner Hellen Obiri, will wear the Cloudboom Strike LS. Initially skeptical, Obiri changed her mind after winning the Boston Marathon earlier this year in a Cloudboom Strike LS prototype.
Though the shoes are currently made at On's headquarters in Zurich, the brand will showcase the technology to the public at a pop-up in Paris during the Olympics. The pop-up will be located at 27 Bd Jules Ferry, 75011, Paris, from July 27th to August 10th and from August 28th to September 8th. Then the Cloudboom Strike LS will be available again in Autumn/Winter 2024 (interested consumers can sign up at on.com/lightspray to be notified of its availability in different markets).
Will the technology be developed further and applied to other fields? Time will tell, but it would be interesting to see if this technology could be adapted for other types of shoes and disciplines. While ballet purists might object to replacing traditional hand-made en pointe shoes with something more futuristic, it would be intriguing to explore solutions for ballet dancers, who typically go through many shoes in their lifetime. Spray-on en pointe shoes might not provide sufficient support for a dancer's calves, but On's first patented CloudTec technology, which cushions the foot and allows a softer landing and better push-off during runs, could potentially be reimagined for footwear specifically designed to help dancers during breaks.
Another promising application could be in the field of medical shoes for patients with specific conditions, such as those with diabetes.
It's surprising that a smaller company like On, developed such innovative technology, outpacing sportswear megabrands like Adidas and Nike, who often tout their high-performance shoes and extensive research units. Perhaps these larger brands have been more focused on investing on analytics and consumer data, causing them to lag in innovation.
On, meanwhile, went from strength to strength, thanks to great intuitions, research and innovative technologies. Their Cloudmonster sneakers became rather popular in the last few years, attracting a fast-growing global fan base. The brand has also launched collaborations, designing a shoe with Swiss tennis champion Roger Federer and releasing collections with luxury brand Loewe (View this photo) and singer FKA twigs. At the Paris Olympics, On will also provide uniforms for the Swiss team. The games haven't started yet, but it looks like some sportswear winners are already emerging.
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