On is bringing its elite spray-on sneaker to the masses 🏃🏻♀️
A lot of robots are helping Swiss sneaker brand On bring one of its most elite sneakers to the masses.
On, among the hottest and most innovative sneaker brands in the market, has a product in its vast portfolio of high-performance sneakers called “LightSpray” that’s made using a fully automated manufacturing technique that can produce the shoes in just three minutes.
Unlike traditional multi-step sneaker production that involves sewing and assembling, LightSpray sneakers, first introduced in 2024, are made with a one-step process that utilizes a robotic arm and an automated process to spray continuous filament that adheres to the sole (through thermal fusion bonding) as it takes the shape of the upper of the shoe.
The lightweight laceless LightSpray sneakers (priced at more than $300 and made in Zurich, Switzerland) are pulled on like a sock and were designed for elite athletes.
Soon, they’ll be available to everybody else.
The sneaker and sportswear company announced on Wednesday that it opened a new LightSpray factory near Busan, South Korea to expand and accelerate production of the sneaker. On said the factory has 32 fully automated robots and systems designed “to increase the brand’s global LightSpray production capacity 30-fold in 2026.”
“The beauty of LightSpray is that we can precisely program each robot, whether in Zurich or Busan, to execute precisely choreographed movements to craft each shoe’s unique look and feel,” On’s chief innovation officer, Scott Maguire, said in a statement. “The innovation remains distinctly On, distinctly Swiss—made for the world.”
The facility in South Korea will make a new version of LightSpray sneakers called “LightSpray Cloudmonster 3 Hyper,” which is set to debut on March 5 in North America - in stores and online — before launching globally on April 16. According to On, the new shoe (priced at $280), is designed for all consumers.
On said it plans to expand its LightSpray production within the next three years, including new production in the Americas and across Europe.
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