Several innovative and impressive 3D printed shoes have recently been making waves, from running shoes to golf shoes, and casual sandals. But the containers shoes come in have not been the spotlight until 2023 came to an end and sporting giant Adidas collaborated with Italian 3D printing company WASP to design a high-end 3D printed commemorative shoebox for legendary footballer Lionel Messi after celebrating the eigth Ballon d’Or win of his career.
Both Adidas and WASP have previously been involved with their separate 3D printing ventures, including Adidas’ 3D printed footwear, and WASP’s prior collaboration with Dior, Honda, and others. The shoebox, a combined effort between both companies, not only symbolically embraced the friendship between the companies, but also contained a unique pair of handmade Adidas shoes specifically for Messi. Even though the shoes weren’t 3D printed, the shoebox has several intriguing characteristics that surpasses the usual four-cornered, cardboard rectangle. 3D printing was chosen for its creation due to its unique shape and design, giving designers the freedom to create shapes that could not be achieved by traditional manufacturing.
Through use of WASP’s highly accurate 4070 ZX dual-extrusion printer, the Nylon-CF box was printed in four segments over a 200-hour period. Each part was created to fit together perfectly without any unnecessary adjustments, the hinges being the only non-3D printed addition which were incorporated to connect the top and bottom pieces and allowed the box to be opened. To construct the box with the necessary detail, precision was vital. The WASP 4070 ZX printer was chosen because of its significant format capacity, as well as the high standard of precision generally used for industrial applications and prototyping. WASP’s patented Vacuum Active Control (VAC) system was also utilized to eliminate the risk of micro-movements that could harm the final quality of the prints.
Not only the construction but also the aesthetic design of the box is meticulously thought out. The form of the box takes on the shape of a dodecahedron, mirroring the black pentagons on soccer balls. Inside, a fitting platform sits perched front and center where the pair of custom Adidas footwear can be displayed. After construction and assembly at WASP headquarters in Italy, the box was handed off to Adidas for the final ‘enshoeing’ and given to Messi to celebrate his achievement. You can learn more about the 3D printed box HERE.
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