Salomon to “transform shoe sector” with new process
08/05/2017
The aim of the range, which it has called S/Lab ME:sh, is to give everyday runners the same service as that afforded to the world’s best athletes. The shoes will be built specifically for the foot of the individual runner, taking into account the shape of the foot, their running style and the conditions in which they will use the shoes.
Salomon said it will only require 30 operations to create a pair of the shoes, compared to the 180 typically needed to make one of its products using traditional methods. It will also only need 12 different components. The key to this, Salomon revealed, is how the upper is made. It has devised a process to transform a 3D-knitted sock, which it calls Twinskin, into a shoe upper. It involves the Twinskin being heated to a specific temperature before being fused to three other pieces.
A bespoke midsole and outsole can then be added. The shoe is principally assembled by robotic equipment but it also requires the manual input of a qualified staff member. This process is “only known and mastered by a handful of people”, according to the company.
Jean Marc Pambet, president of Salomon, has said he believes the S/Lab ME:sh project will “transform the shoe sector in the very near future”. As well as giving greater freedom of customisation to the consumer, it will also simplify the process used by the footwear industry to create shoes, he explained.
The company expects the manufacturing process to allow for shoes to be made near to the market where they will be sold. This is similar to the “local to local” manufacturing discussed by the likes of Under Armour and Reebok in recent months. Salomon said doing this will reduce the carbon footprint associated with transporting products to market. To emphasise this point, it revealed that, although 70% of its shoes are made in Asia, around 80% are sold in Europe or North America.
Salomon has set up what it calls a S/Lab ME:sh Unit at its design centre in Annecy, France. As well as the materials and machinery required to manufacture the shoes, it also features a viewing area where visitors can watch as their shoes are made.
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