Making Modular Footwear

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Course features
  • 2 online classes
    4 days in Barcelona
  • Level: Intermediate
    max 6 participants
  • Study time: 45 hours total
Course overview
Learn how to completely rethink the construction of footwear with a dream team of teachers and walk away with your prototype!
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In this course we merge digital design, 3D printing and 3D knitting to create shoes that are ultra-versatile, so they can easily be customized, altered, resold and recycled.
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This masterclass is part of our Footwearise Festival. If you are joining the Footwearise conference and exhibition on December 2 and 3, you get a 10% discount on this course with code FOOTWEARISE.
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This course is a collaboration between:

Course format

The technologies that we teach at Footwearology, such as digital design, 3D printing and knitting, have a clear purpose: creating a new footwear supply chain where shoes can be made on demand, including customization and end-of-life options.

Inventing new modular constructions is a big part of that process, so in this master class we are bringing all technologies together to create shoes that do not use any glue and are very versatile.

We have teamed up with footwear innovation collective Nicer to assemble a dream team of  expert teachers for this course who each bring a unique set of knowledge to the table. 
We start your two online classes to help you build your concept. First, we do a deep dive into the reasons why we need modular constructions and how we could best design them. 

Then you will get an online class in Gravity Sketch to make a 3D model of your concept. 

Finally, you come to Barcelona for 4 days to materialize that concept using the 3D printers at our lab in Barcelona. If you want you can also choose from a variety of knitted sock uppers made by our Santoni and Stoll knitting machines.

Class schedule

Online class 1: November 18, 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm CET
Online introduction class about why and how to use modularity in footwear and how to design for 3D printing
Homework: create your modular concept
Online class 2: November 25, 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm CET
In this class you learn how to make a 3D model of your concept using Gravity Sketch (VR headset is optional).
Homework: make a 3D model of your concept
Barcelona, day 1
December 4
10:00 - 18:00 CET

  • Discussing the 3D models
  • Making any necessary adjustments
  • Choosing a knitted sock upper (if needed)
  • Intro of 3D printers in the lab
  • Basics of slicing
Barcelona, day 2
December 5
10:00 - 18:00 CET

  • slicing first material tests
  • printing first material tests
  • slicing the shoe files
  • starting the first print
Barcelona, day 3
December 6
10:00 - 18:00 CET

  • finishing first print
  • making any necessary adjustments
  • slicing next parts
  • starting next prints
Barcelona, day 4
December 7
10:00 - 17:00 CET

  • finishing final prints
  • assembling the shoe
  • photographing the designs
  • final presentation of the concepts

Meet your instructors:

Founder of Footwearology, Footwear visionary and engineer with more than 30 years of experience and most of that time has been dedicated to reinventing the way we manufacture footwear. She will teach the design theory for making modular footwear which is the core of Footwearology´s work.
Professional footwear designer who specializes in VR. He has worked with various brands on 3D printed footwear and his traditional footwear. He also has a YouTube channel where he makes tutorials for brands like Zellerfeld and shows his audience how to make footwear in VR and Blender for free!
Cofounder of Nicer. Multidisciplinary design engineer committed to sustainability, aesthetics and functionality. Develops products, practices and tools with a human-centric and innovation approach. Working for two years on modular footwear products for additive manufacturing.
Co-founder of Code Footwear, custom 3D printed performance footwear. Designer, developer, and maker. From hand making his own skateboard footwear from scratch to analyzing foot scans creating 3D printed bespoke footwear for professional athletes.

What is Nicer?

Nicer is an innovation hub and solution provider focused on footwear. With a strong commitment to progress, Nicer fosters research and development, offering cutting-edge solutions that transform how brands and entrepreneurs design, produce, and manage their businesses. As a leader in footwear innovation, Nicer provides tailored strategies for both B2B and B2C companies, helping them adapt to the industry's evolving demands and turning ideas into reality.

Course details

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Included

  • 2 online classes
  • 4 days of training in Barcelona with your own dedicated 3D printer
  • 3D printing materials by Recreus
  • knitted sock upper (choose from preselection)
  • slicing profiles specific to footwear
  • certificate

Excluded

  • travel to our lab in Barcelona
  • accommodation in Barcelona
  • lunch and diner


You will need to bring your own laptop (PC or Mac) and have the latest version of Gravity Sketch installed. A VR headset is optional. 
You will also need the latest version of Cura. Both softwares are free.
It is highly recommended to have a mouse!
The course takes places at Footwearology Lab, Carrer d´Espronceda 103, 08005 Barcelona. Phone +34 698978484
Footwearology is the only academy for footwear professionals. We enable you to gain the knowledge that will get you, and the companies you work for, ready to create and embrace a better future. All our courses take place online and/or in our LAB in Barcelona, Spain.

Besides teaching, we do research and consulting, focusing on redesigning the entire footwear supply chain by directly connecting technology suppliers, creatives and social media platforms.

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