This project explores the combination of digital fabrication and craft in an effort to create modular shoes that can be repaired by the end user. It achieves sustainability by increasing the lifespan of footwear and creating a circularity of “wear—repair—wear.”
The initial phase of this project consists of creating a modular shoe with a replaceable sole. The person wearing the shoes can replace their old outsoles once they’ve worn out with new 3D printed ones. Much emphasis is placed on the “seam” where the upper connects to the sole. The soles are designed using Rhino and 3D printing with TPU filaments. The initial designs followed the form of traditional cupsoles found on many mass-produced sneakers. The benefit of a cupsole is its ability to be manufactured as one piece. Each of the prototypes incorporates a stitching welt where a leather or textile upper can be hand-stitched to. A goal of this project is to empower the end-user to repair their shoes themselves, so the stitching process had to be intuitive and performed without any specialized tools. As a result, prototypes incorporated di erent sewing techniques that would make the process easier for the end-user. The sewing is done externally, eliminating the need for working inside of the shoe.
This shoe achieves a secure connection between the upper and the sole with the low-entry craft of hand sewing. A very simple stitch turned this shoe into a repairable product. However, with this comes challenges. Outcomes that weren't anticipated include the discrepancy of tolerances between the handcrafted parts and the digitally crafted parts. While handmade work includes small imperfections and inconsistencies, digitally fabricated work does not. This means that the connections of the two need more attention. Also, due to their easy accessibility, these stitches are exposed to abrasion and fraying.
These issues will be addressed in the next phase of this project, as well as exploring new materials and sustainable and circular manufacturing processes. Materials such as granulated cork and natural latex binders will be used to construct the sole.