Dow collaboration in action: Zürich shoppers experience comfort and performance advantages of custom silicone midsoles designed and 3D-printed onsite

ECCO Shoes debut their QUANT-U footwear customization technology, enabled in part by Dow’s breakthrough liquid silicone rubber

HORGEN, Switzerland - July 14, 2020 - Danish shoe designer ECCO and Dow are introducing QUANT-U footwear customization to customers and journalists at ECCO’s flagship store in Zürich, Switzerland. From June 17th through September, consumers can book an appointment online or in-store.

ECCO’s QUANT-U footwear customization platform employs a breakthrough 3D-printable liquid silicone rubber from Dow to design and print shoe midsoles onsite with a same-day turnaround, creating a new paradigm for shoe fit, comfort and performance.

Developed by the Innovation Lab of ECCO (ILE), this first-of-its-kind service combines the customer’s individual biomechanical data with SILASTIC™ 3D 3335 Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) from Dow and additive manufacturing (3D printing) to produce silicone midsoles customized to the wearer’s foot shape and natural movements.

QUANT-U is a process through which custom-fitted shoes are produced in-store in under two hours. The process consists of a real-time analysis involving three intuitive steps:

1. 3D FOOT SCANNING – Orthopedic measurement of feet via 3D scanners to determine shoe size and arch height for midsoles, requiring only 30 seconds.
2. WALKING ANALYSIS – Anatomical measurement of walking gait via wearable sensors to determine a unique digital footprint.
3. LOCALIZED 3D PRINTING – 3D printing of customized midsoles using liquid silicone rubber designed for 3D printing. Printed from any location through a cloud-based service.

In ECCO’s customized shoe midsoles, the exceptional elasticity and recovery of SILASTIC™ 3D 3335 LSR optimizes energy return, cushioning and foot stability. The midsoles are odor-free and do not contribute to bacterial growth. They are water-repellent, yet breathable; are extremely durable; are machine washable; and have a long service life, even in adverse environments.

“The QUANT-U collaboration showcases one of the infinite opportunities SILASTIC™ 3D-printable liquid silicone rubbers are opening up for designers seeking part design flexibility and the processing advantages of additive manufacturing along with the performance advantages of silicone rubber,” said Nathalie Gerard, European Market Manager Consumer Rubber & Pressure Sensitive Industries for Dow Performance Silicones.

About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation and leading business positions to achieve profitable growth. The Company’s ambition is to become the most innovative, customer centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company. Dow’s portfolio of plastics, industrial intermediates, coatings and silicones businesses delivers a broad range of differentiated science-based products and solutions for its customers in high-growth market segments, such as packaging, infrastructure and consumer care. Dow operates 109 manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employs approximately 36,500 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $43 billion in 2019. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information, please visit www.dow.com or follow @DowNewsroom on Twitter.

For further information, please contact:

Marie Levecq
+32.64.889.648
mlevecq@dow.com