Nike has launched a brand new functionality in its industrial 3D printed footwear line: printing two colours in a single, seamless construct. The innovation debuts on the Air Max 1000, developed with long-time additive manufacturing associate Zellerfeld.
Not like earlier Air Max 1000 releases, which have been printed in a single shade, the brand new “Multicolor” iteration integrates twin shade zones instantly via the print course of. Shade is programmed with the identical precision as geometry, eliminating post-processing steps resembling portray or meeting. Prototype pictures present a transparent break up: a purple base rising from the only into the higher, intersected by black on the mannequin’s signature wavy profile line, with a contrasting black Air unit within the heel.
Nike describes this as the primary commercially obtainable dual-color 3D printed shoe, opening new artistic choices for designers and types. The method permits vibrant shade mixtures with out compromising the monolithic, lattice-based construction that defines the Air Max 1000.
From pilot to platform
The announcement builds on Nike and Zellerfeld’s broader transfer from restricted pilots to scalable manufacturing. That shift turned clear with the debut of the Air Max 95000 in late 2025, which launched Undertaking Nectar—Nike’s print-first system combining materials formulation and toolpath management to enhance outsole sturdiness, traction, and built-in detailing. Whereas the 95000 already showcased multi-color results via layered printing, its course of differs from the single-pass, dual-color technique now used on the Air Max 1000.
Zellerfeld’s Gen3 printers is used to mass produce each fashions, enabling advanced, mold-free builds with parametric match and growing readiness for repeatable, retail-scale manufacturing. In line with the businesses, this platform method helps sooner iteration, better design freedom, and better potential for future customization.
Subsequent run
The Air Max 1000 “Multicolor” is anticipated to achieve the market later this yr, with extra colorways and future 3D-printed Air Max fashions set to undertake the identical capabilities. As Nike continues to combine additive manufacturing deeper into its footwear lineup, dual-color printing marks a notable step towards treating shade as a local design parameter—printed, not utilized.
