Web of influence

Sportswear brand On has developed a novel way to create uppers: sprayed from a robotic arm in a matter of minutes.

A Halloween decoration is an unlikely source of inspiration for a new footwear manufacturing technique, but a plastic spider’s web – or more specifically, the way it was created – caught the eye of designer Johannes Voelchert from Swiss brand On. A video showing the fine layers of plastic being sprayed back and forth sparked an idea for a snug fitting upper – but how difficult would this be to replicate in a shoe, that needs to impart comfort, strength and durability?

The brand, which was launched in 2010 and includes tennis player Roger Federer among investors, describes itself as a “creator of industry-disrupting innovation in premium #footwear, apparel and accessories”. It was founded by three friends and running enthusiasts searching for a feeling of “running on clouds”; all its shoes are based on its patented #CloudTec foam, for which it won ISPO ’s Brand New prize in 2010.?

Its growth rate is extraordinary. At the time of its stock market listing in 2021, On had increased sales at an annual growth rate of 85% from the year of its founding, making it one of the fastest-growing athletic sports companies in the world. Since then, the trajectory has continued: this March, it reported 2023 sales of CHF 1.8 billion (￡1.6 billion), an annual increase of 47%, particularly impressive at a time when big rivals are reporting flat or declining sales. It anticipates 30% growth this year. “The demand for the On brand remains very strong,” says co-CEO Martin Hoffmann. “Exciting product launches and big brand moments are in the making.”

Spray-on TPU

One of these ‘big brand moments’ is the announcement of the ‘sprayed’ shoe, which On claims is a “revolutionary” manufacturing process. Trials took place over four years at On Labs in Zurich, mastering a way to create the one-piece #LightSpray uppers in a single step using an automated by a robotic arm, compared with traditional upper manufacturing involving yarn extrusion and finishing, weaving or knitting, sewing, glueing and assembling of parts.

An integrated thermal fusing technology allows the uppers to bond to the midsole without the need for glue, and the construction from thermoplastic polyurethane (#TPU) presents opportunities for circular manufacture (in theory, it could be broken down and the TPU used again). The traditional pattern-making process is replaced with computational design and robot programming, which allows for customisation and rapid prototyping. Once LightSpray uppers are created, branding is added via an automated ink-jet printing process. The upper can be sprayed in just three minutes, and the whole shoe assembled in three more.

“LightSpray marks a significant milestone for On, not only in creating high-performance products but also the potential it has to move us towards a more sustainable, circular future,” comments Marc Maurer , Co-CEO of On. “Our team is constantly challenging itself to rethink the status quo in terms of the design, development and manufacturing of performance sportswear.”

Close to home

Rather than using its traditional footwear manufacturers, which are mainly based in Vietnam, On is establishing a fully automated production unit in Zurich. The LightSpray upper of the Cloudboom Strike LS will be manufactured and the final shoe will be assembled there. The midsole features two layers of Helion HF hyper foam - On’s Pebax formula made with over 40% bio-based raw materials - providing impact absorption and high energy return. A pre-shaped, stiff carbon Speedboard, sandwiched between the foam, enables propulsion. Individual runners’ pressure map data will inform the outsole, for improved traction, while increasing the ground contact area. The CloudBoom Strike LS has been made with no sockliner, strobel or laces, helping it to be On’s lightest running shoe, weighing just 170g. The process results in? minimal waste, and reduces an upper’s carbon emissions by 75% compared with other On racing shoes, according to the company.?

The developments fit neatly into its portfolio of new launches that are helping it towards its targets of using only recycled polyester and nylon by end 2024 as well as only recycled, organic or “petrol-free” cotton. It has increased its subscription model, launched in 2020, to include Cyclon Cloudeasy running top made from 100% recycled PET, and the Cloudrise, made from a biobased nylon PA11 derived from castor bean oil. These developments drive the figures in On’s Impact Report. In 2023, there was a 30% decrease in emissions from owned operations, and a 17% emissions reduction across the entire supply chain compared with 2022. It also increased the use of recycled polyester in its products to 85%, and 80% recycled polyamide across its top selling styles.?

In the race

At its heart though, the company wants to be viewed as a serious challenger in the high performance categories, shoeing marathon winners and sprinters, not merely as a sustainability-led or novelty-led brand. On athletes were closely involved in the design and testing of the spray-on Cloudboom Strike LS. Earlier this year, Kenya’s Hellen Obiri, four-time World Champion runner and winner of the marathons in Boston and New York City, wore a development version when she won the Marathon in Boston for the second year in a row.

At the Paris Olympics, On sponsored 65 athletes and clothed the Swiss team. Hopes were high for Ms Obiri, who was aiming for a gold in the women’s marathon, having achieved silver in the previous two Olympics. On the day, she was pipped to the gold and silver by Sifan Hassan of Netherlands and Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia, but still took the bronze medal with a time of 2:23:10? – demonstrating the spray-on shoe, with all its novelty, can still be taken seriously on the podium.

This summer, the automated production unit that makes LightSpray technology was taken on the road for live manufacturing demonstrations in Paris, with the hope of promoting the nearshoring idea that many brands have touted over the last few years, as advances in manufacturing enable quicker and more agile supply chains. Increased customisation, increased control, faster speed to market, trend driven, reduced waste and lower carbon footprint are all the calling cards of disrupting the shoe manufacturing space with technological advancements. At $330, the shoes are not cheap, so only time will tell if consumer demand is strong enough to support the model, but prices tend to fall as volumes rise. “LightSpray technology has the potential to revolutionise not only footwear but also all kinds of wearable products in the sportswear industry,” the company says – suggesting this is just the starting line for On’s next big event.?

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