It was in December 2015 when Adidas pushed out the plans for its futuristic Speedfactory development concept, where robots would make shoes at facilities located in Germany and the U.S. Several months down the line, the company has the first pair of sneakers made by the bots ready.
On Wednesday, Sept. 21, Adidas showed off its first-ever pair of sneakers, dubbed the Futurecraft M.F.G. (Made for Germany), that deploy the company's new technology.
The sportswear company shared the first silhouette of the svelte running shoes, which deploy the company's Primeknit upper, as well as the Boost midsole. The Futurecraft M.F.G. was made at the company's Speedfactory in Ansbach, Germany.
"The launch of the adidas Futurecraft M.F.G. is a defining moment for the industry. With SPEEDFACTORY, we have an industry-changing innovation that can be placed anywhere in the world – taking the lab to the street," says James Carnes, VP of Strategy Creation at Adidas. "The starting point on this journey is the adidas Futurecraft M.F.G. and our ambition is we will give consumers what they want, when they want it."
The Futurecraft M.F.G., the company believes, is the first step in changing perceptions in the industry. The shoe is representative of high performance footwear designed to keep specific details in mind. That is, it is a step in customizing according to consumer requirements, while keeping detailing in mind.
Carnes adds that the Futurecraft M.F.G. uses ARAMIS technology, which basically enabled Adidas to understand in great depth the foot movement details of an athlete while running. This led to the traditional heel counter, along with the three-stripe cage, being substituted with a slew of patches that have been placed on the different sections of the sneaker, to offer the best possible support.
The major chunk of the crafting is carried out by robots with some human assistance enlisted during the assembly.
The Futurecraft M.F.G. sneakers are just a test from the company. Several more products will be adapting to the Speedfactory process in the near future and are anticipated to be released in the coming months.
Wondering when the bot-made sneakers will release? What it's price will be? Adidas did not disclose when Futurecraft M.F.G. will hit the shelves and how much it will cost. However, the "1/500" marking on the shoe hints that its initial batch will comprise only 500 pairs, something asserted by the company in December.
