New Balance teams up with Unmade to create customisable sustainable trainers

The sneaker brand is tapping the start-up’s sustainable tech for the new NB 111 Knit trainers 
Amelia Heathman29 October 2019

The fashion industry is going full steam ahead when it comes to sustainability, from Prada using recycled ocean plastic for its iconic nylon bags, to Stella McCartney using Google Cloud to assess the environmental impact of the raw materials the brand uses.

London start-up Unmade has an innovative approach to how technology can help make fashion companies more sustainable. Its software enables brands to allow customers to customise specific items, which are then commissioned and made, so companies are only producing what they actually sell.

So far, the company has worked with the likes of Opening Ceremony and Farfetch, and is now adding US sneaker brand New Balance to that list.

Using Unmade’s tech, New Balance is offering a new, customisable knitted shoe, called Unmade x New Balance 111 Knit. It's not the first time New Balance customers have been able to create their own unique trainer, but the previous option involved a lengthy customer experience.

The Unmade shoe, on the other hand, is a first in that it is a knitted trainer, and customers are able to change the graphic, colour and text so it is unique to them.

Katherine Petrecca, GM of footwear at New Balance, says working with Unmade helps the company to move its customisation offering “to the next level”.

“The data that Unmade's platform gives us has really pushed the limits of what is possible in our manufacturing and fulfilment processes and inspired innovation right across our domestic operations. Without Unmade’s technology it would have been technically impossible to launch,” said Petrecca.

Once a customer's order has been submitted, the manufacturer is able to access the custom design and start working on the new shoes, thanks to Unmade's tech. In particular, the knitted components of the shoe are only physically made once an order has been accepted. This is another way that New Balance is ensuring that no materials are wasted or over-ordered.

The start-up’s CEO, Hal Watts, said it has been a defining moment for Unmade to work with New Balance. “The fashion supply chain is broken, disconnected and needs to change - we know it and our global customers know it too. Connecting demand directly to supply and taking the guesswork out of fashion production is the only way to evolve, and we love working with brands who grasp the importance and urgency of these changes.”

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