German designer & architect Stephan Henrich has created a fully 3D printed shoe called “The Cryptide sneaker.” This creature-like footwear is especially designed to be laser sintered on the Sintratec S2 system with flexible TPE material.
Developed in collaboration with Sintratec, a Swiss provider of selective laser sintering (SLS) solutions, the Cryptide sneaker consists of a sole with an open design, combined and printed together with an upper shoe that is not much more than a sock. It was made possible by SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) 3D printing and the rubber-like material called Sintratec TPE elastomer. The SLS additive manufacturing technique uses a laser as the power source to sinter powdered material into a more solid 3D structure.
As the name suggests, the sneaker is inspired by so-called Cryptids – mythical creatures such as Bigfoot or Loch Ness that may or may not exist. When you wear and walk with the Cryptide sneaker, “you will leave traces like a cryptid would do,” Henrich explains.
By varying the wall thickness, specific parts of the footwear become stiffer, while others remain flexible and soft, which makes the Cryptide not only ergonomic but also comfortable to wear. “I think TPE is a great material for designing shoes,” Henrich summarizes. Since it is 3D printed, the size and shape of the easily adapt the wearer’s foot.