Nike’s new FlyWeb performance textile is 3D printed

Faith Kipyegon, a middle-distance runner from Kenya with several Olympic medals under her belt, will soon attempt to break the four-minute mile—beating her own record of 4 mins 7.64 seconds in 2023. This attempt will take place on June 26th in Paris and is sponsored by Nike, which has collaborated with the athlete to optimize her performance, not only through training but also apparel. On this front, Nike has created a new performance material, a 3D printed TPU textile called FlyWeb, from which it has made a custom sports bra for Kipyegon.

The material is the result of several years of development and experimentation and is Nike’s first real application for 3D printing outside of footwear. According to Janett Nichol, VP of Innovation at Nike, this is actually the first time the company has used AM to create high-performance sports apparel for an athlete. She explains: “What works on a shoe doesn’t just translate to something you wear on your body.It took years of re-engineering—not just the materials but the design approach itself—to make FlyWeb feel soft, breathable and beautiful enough for apparel.”

The 3D printed bra, the first product made from FlyWeb, has a minimalist design and is made from a single seamless layer. Nike’s team used computational design software in the creation of the wearable piece, which enabled them to control factors like fit and support, as well as fine-tune airflow, density and stretch in different areas of the bra.

The result is a supportive sports bra that is lightweight, fits like a second skin and is extremely breathable. For anyone that has worn a sports bra before, this represents a significant departure from the typical garments made from multiple layers of heavy-duty fabric.

“It’s soft. It’s light—so light, it feels like you’re not wearing anything at all,” Nichol adds. “That’s the No. 1 thing testers tell us: It disappears on your body yet somehow delivers incredible support. You can actually feel the air on your chest. Most women have never experienced that while running. We don’t even think about it because it’s just not something we’ve ever expected to feel.”

The 3D printed bra is a key innovation that could help propel Kipyegon to breaking the four-minute mile, but it is not the only thing Nike has planned to help boost the Kenyan athlete. Notably, the sportswear giant set out to create the “most aerodynamic speed suit in running history” for her and the result is the Nike Fly Suit, a one-piece garment made from stretchy, slippery materials that integrates Aeronodes that split the air and reduce drag for the runner. Kipyegon will wear the 3D printed sports bra made from FlyWeb—a one-of-one product according to Nike—underneath the Nike Fly Suit.

3D printing, fairly well established in the production of footwear, is also finding new applications when it comes to performance apparel. Earlier this week, for instance, we covered a story about a new startup ARMA that is developing customized performance gloves for athletes made from the state-of-the-art Rapid Liquid Print (RLP) technology. Last month, sports equipment manufacturer Reusch launched Attrakt Fusion Carbon 3D, the first goalkeeper glove with a 3D printed punch zone (marketed by Premiere League goalkeeper Alisson Becker).