Heather Clancy of GreenBiz writes about a new company that is using 3D printing to make shoes.
- Of the 20 to 24 billion pairs of shoes that are produced annually, it is estimated that as many as 95% of them end up in the landfill.
- Portland-based Hilos is hoping to address this issue by making the shoe industry more circular.
- The company is using 3D printing to lower the carbon footprint of shoe making and reduce the amount of materials that are needed to build a sneaker.
- Hilos has raised $3 million for its process and will produce clogs, sandals, and mules.
“One last thing to point out: If you compare the emissions of the two shoes on a part-by-part basis, the analysis suggests that the emissions for 3D printing are actually 10 percent to 17 percent higher. ‘Only when a complete assembly of the shoe is taken into account does the overall carbon efficiency of 3D printing stand out,’ according to the analysis.”
Read the full article here.
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