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Production Methods: Nike Adapts Hot-Melting to Sneakers

By Rain Noe - August 12, 2011

in Materials

Nike's new "Hyperfuse" production method takes a thin, thermoplastic polyurethane film, mesh, and an unspecified synthetic material and bonds them together using a hot-melt process, eliminating most of the stitching required to get your average kick together. Here's what it looks like, at least in theory:

While things like sealed corrugated cardboard boxes have been produced using hot-melt production methods for some time, this is the first we've seen of it being applied to sneakers. Looks like we're getting closer to having footwear come out of an RP machine.

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Chris

13 years ago

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Nothing new... Actually Adidas pioneered this technology for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Nike just created a cool name and hype around it (like they always do) so now they own it.
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klo

13 years ago

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too expensive to stitch nowadays
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Richard

13 years ago

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This isn't new. Almost any shoe factory can do this, and it's been around for at least 6 years or more. Nike may have pioneered it (not sure), but it's nothing revolutionary. It's pretty much like fusing tape seamstresses use. Layer of hot melt glue applied to the back of the fabric + heat, and you are done.

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