On, the sportswear brand from Switzerland, has introduced LightSpray, which is billed as… ‘a revolutionary new performance footwear upper technology.’
Developed at the On Labs in Zurich, the new upper will make its first appearance in the Cloudboom Strike LS (LightSpray), high-performance running shoe.
According to On… ‘LightSpray uppers aren’t built like traditional shoe uppers. They’re precision made in a fast, one-step manufacturing process, automated by a robotic arm at the On Labs in Zurich.
‘The result is a one-piece upper that is ultra light and provides exceptional fit and support, making it ideal for race day. The ultra-thin and seamless design minimizes distractions and even eliminates the need for laces.’
On adds that the LightSpray one-step manufacturing approach also paves the way for more sustainable manufacturing in the future.
‘The fully automated process reduces waste and produces an upper with 75% fewer carbon emissions than On’s other racing shoes. The process enables faster production of high-performance shoes with less waste, and offers the potential to make shoes closer to the customer.
‘It also creates new opportunities for circular manufacturing and products, thanks to its construction from a single recyclable material and the assembly process that eliminates the need for glue.’
“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.” said 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. LightSpray technology will propel us forward in our mission to be the most premium sportswear brand, rooted in innovation, design and impact.”
On athletes were involved in the design and testing of this technology and shoe. Earlier this year, Hellen Obiri, 4x world champion runner and winner of the marathons in Boston and New York City, wore a development version of the Cloudboom Strike LS when she won the Boston Marathon for the second year in a row.
This summer, the automated production unit that makes LightSpray technology will be taken on the road for live manufacturing demonstrations. Consumers can watch shoes being made featuring LightSpray technology at the On Labs Paris pop-up at 27 Bd Jules Ferry, 75011, Paris from July 27th to August 10th and from August 28th to September 8th.
The Cloudboom Strike LS was initially released and made available to the public in April and will be available again in autumn/fall/winter 2024. Interested consumers can sign up at on.com/lightspray to be notified of the availability of the Cloudboom Strike LS in different markets.
For the first time in its history, On is establishing a fully automated production unit at the On Labs in Zurich, which has been developed in-house. This is where the LightSpray upper of the Cloudboom Strike LS will be manufactured and the final shoe will be assembled.
The spark for LightSpray came from an unexpected source – a Halloween decoration. A member of the On Innovation Team was inspired by a video that showcased a hot glue gun creating spider webs.
Intrigued by the swift creation of fabric onto a complex shape, the on team started by creating a simple prototype shoe upper with a handheld, modified hot glue gun. They then progressed to developing a unit which produces a continuous filament, forming an engineered structure. This structure eventually became a one-piece upper, sprayed in a single step.
For decades, running shoes have been made and developed in a similar way. Traditional upper manufacturing involves multiple stages, including yarn extrusion and finishing, weaving or knitting, sewing and assembling of parts.
In contrast, On’s LightSpray approach uses a robotic arm to create an ultra-light, one-piece shoe upper, fully automated and in just one step. An integrated patent pending thermal fusing technology allows LightSpray uppers to bond seamlessly to the midsole without the need for glue.
The traditional pattern making process is replaced with computational design and robot programming. This allows every part of the LightSpray structure to be engineered according to its needs, and facilitates rapid prototyping, helping to transform ideas into products within a matter of hours.
Once LightSpray uppers are created, branding is added within minutes via a fully automated ink-jet printing process. This method is a more sustainable solution than typical branding processes as it uses a minimal amount of water and allows for high design flexibility.
On adds that… ‘Each shoe is fully assembled in just three minutes and that the LightSpray technology has the potential to revolutionize not only footwear but also all kinds of wearable products in the sportswear industry.’
