Asics is doubling down on personalization with the launch of a new service.
According to the athletic brand, it has partnered with French tech company Dassault Systèmes to open a studio in Paris to test a new service providing on-demand sockliners personalized for individual foot shape.
Dubbed the “Asics Personalization Studio,” the company described the activation as an “ultra-compact factory.” At the studio, Asics said it will use Dassault Systèmes’ modeling and simulation technology to design the shape of sockliners based on individual foot shape data modeled and simulated on the tech company’s 3DExperience platform.
Advanced 3D printing technology is then used to create the sockliner, a thick lattice structure made from a highly flexible material layered to provide breathability and softness. The exact level of softness can be varied for any part of the foot, which aids physical recovery by reducing strain, while also improving performance.
Asics noted that it plans to carry out operational tests and monitor user satisfaction as part of a trial run for a wider commercial release. In 2025, the Asics Personalization Studio will be transferred to Japan for further testing and, in the future, the company will consider applying the technology to other footwear products besides sockliners.
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“We are delighted to collaborate with Dassault Systèmes on the Asics Personalization Studio,” Mitsuyuki Tominaga, president, chief operating officer and representative director of Asics, said in a statement. “Our partnership leverages the advanced technology and expertise of two industry-leading companies to provide optimal value to each customer, helping them live healthier, happier lives with products that respond to their individual needs.”
Pascal Daloz, chief executive officer of Dassault Systèmes, added that this new tie-up reflects the two company’s “commitment to innovations” that improve health. “Our partnership reflects this by demonstrating a holistic approach to manufacturing that prioritizes the consumer experience,” Daloz said. “It also shows how the virtual world is catalyzing the 21st century economy. Through their foundation in science, our virtual twins enable industry to not only improve the performance and the experience of products but to advance more sustainable business models.”
This isn’t the first time Asics has used 3D printing technology. In August, the company teamed up with 3D printing company LuxCreo on the second generation of its ActiBreeze hybrid sandal. According to the athletic company, the revamped performance slide featured a 3D-printed elastic footbed.
The new studio also comes one month after Asics showcased a handful of new collaborations with Kith, Cecilie Bahnsen, Doublet and more at a pop-up space during Paris Fashion Week Men’s.
