SYZMIK wins award for 3D printed lattice padding in football headband
The X7c+ headband uses additive manufacturing to replace traditional foam padding in soft-shell head protection
SYZMIK Sports’ X7c+ Protective Headband has won in the Sport Equipment Design/Innovation category at the FIT Sport Design Awards 2027, in recognition of being built around an innovative 3D printed lattice padding system.
The lattice for the flag and 7v7 football headband, which is made from EPU 45 due to its strain-rate sensitive elastomer, is engineered for energy absorption, and was computationally tuned as a multi-zonal structure which flexes for comfort and breathability while at the same time stiffening under impact to disperse energy.
The X7c+, which sells for $77 weighs between 80 and 95 grams and is finished in a translucent Vapor Black colorway that reveals the internal lattice structure.
Shell construction and manufacturing
SYZMIK used Carbon’s Digital Light Synthesis process to 3D print the EPU 45 lattice at the core of the headband, allowing for zoned, directional impact absorption which is not normally achievable with traditional foam padding while maintaining airflow.Â
The lattice is housed in an injection-molded, segmented shell built from flexible polymer elements that are ultrasonically welded together without stitching. This construction leads to reduced failure points, claims the company, in comparison with sewn designs. It also creates a low-profile chassis intended to move with the wearer’s head.
Textile integration and fit
High-stretch performance textiles were bonded directly to the shell rather than sewn, in a bid to improve durability and breathability., and the headband also incorporates precision-cut ‘L’ extension apertures in its Lycra substrate, which are engineered to allow multidirectional stretch as the wearer’s head moves during play.
