Zellerfeld has launched a sneaker-design platform and opened it to the public.
Founded in 2015 by Cornelius Schmitt and operating out of Germany and the US, the start-up promises shoes that have a custom fit (off a scan from your phone); lack stitching, glue and weak points; are machine-washable and resistant to odors; dispense with factories, and therefore with factory waste; and are entirely recyclable.
It has been working with fashion brands – such as Louis Vuitton, Moncler and, as we ourselves have reported, Heron Preston – but the platform appears to be a step towards its objective of “democratizing the footwear industry,” as the company’s Instagram page puts it.
How it works
Aspiring designers can join the Zellerfeld community, on Discord, and submit their work in the form of an STL file (stereolithography computer-aided design). The work must abide by specifications – the outsole must be closed mesh, the mesh edges must meet in a way to satisfy a technical definition of “watertight,” the soles must fall within a certain height range, and so forth. There is a sampling stage, during which Zellerfeld can “require adjustments,” as many as needed for approval. And there is a fee for a minimum of two rounds and additional fees thereafter. Zellerfeld will then ship a physical sample.
Next comes the release stage, at which point a designer who moves forward with production can no longer change the design. The shoe’s release is set around Zellerfeld’s manufacturing schedule. In other words, 3D printing is more than just the company’s trademark. It is also, as Business of Fashion points out, the limiting factor on its operations.
Zellerfield shoes will be fully custom. Courtesy: Zellerfield
According to the account published by TheFutureParty, designers can purchase samples at a discount to use for their own promotion, and customer orders – for the aforementioned custom fit – later generate for them a revenue equal to 60 percent of backend royalties from total sales.
One pair of shoes takes a half-day to print – it was a full day a year and a half ago – and orders can take six weeks to ship. Prices run from $175 to $370. Zellerfeld’s annual revenues are in the millions of dollars. The company is now looking for Series A funding to expand its 3D printing.
