Carbon Showcases On-Demand 3D-Printed Footwear Partnership With Vivobarefoot

According to a recent LinkedIn post from Carbon, the company’s Digital Light Synthesis platform is being used to produce Vivobarefoot’s Tabi Gen 02, described as a fully customized, monomaterial, recyclable 3D‑printed shoe. The post notes that the product, featured in Forbes, is made with Carbon’s EPU Pro material by production partner OECHSLER.

The LinkedIn post highlights a scan‑to‑production model in which customers’ feet are scanned and shoes are printed on demand, aiming to avoid overproduction, markdowns, and landfill outcomes. The post also cites a 25‑minute production time per pair, suggesting that personalized, additive‑manufactured footwear is commercially viable today rather than a long‑term concept.

For investors, the initiative points to Carbon gaining traction in high‑value applications of 3D printing within the footwear segment, where customization and sustainability are emerging differentiators. If scaled, this model could deepen Carbon’s recurring revenue opportunities from materials and production services, while enhancing its positioning as an enabling platform for brands seeking on‑demand manufacturing.

The collaboration with Vivobarefoot and OECHSLER may also indicate an ecosystem strategy, with Carbon’s technology integrated into partners’ production workflows rather than Carbon owning end‑consumer brands. Such a model can be capital efficient, but success will depend on throughput, cost per pair, and the ability to replicate this use case with additional footwear and apparel partners.

More broadly, the emphasis on recyclability and reduced waste aligns with growing regulatory and consumer pressure around sustainability in fashion and footwear. If Carbon’s approach proves scalable and economically competitive with traditional manufacturing, it could strengthen the company’s role in the transition toward digital, localized, and demand‑driven production in the wider manufacturing sector.