Vans Customs 3D

The Need

The success of Digitalaid, Movaid, and AddFactor R&D projects led to a collaboration with the Innovation Department of VF Corporation. VF Corporation is one of the world’s largest apparel, footwear, and accessories companies, overseeing brands such as Vans, Timberland, The North Face, and others. The Innovation Department works across brands to innovate workflows, materials, processes, and supply chains.
Their goal was to improve the fit and comfort of footwear by customising products to users’ biometrics and experimenting with data-driven materials and workflows. Our collaborations extended across multiple projects, including Vans Customs 3D (codename project Crispin), a digital manufacturing platform combining visual size recommendations for Vans eCommerce, retail, and digital marketing.

Project Crispin

Crispin was a multifaceted project, including various technical innovations towards comfort and personalisation, inspired by the Digitalaid platform. The project had three main components:

• A 3D web-based digital platform was the core for customisation and user interaction, designed to extend Vans Customs eCommerce, and integrated into retails and digital marketing. The dashboard underwent multiple prototype iterations, with the front-end built using React with React-Three-Fiber for 3D content, while the UI was built with Material-UI.
• An instep fit system using 3D scanners to capture foot morphology. The back-end infit algorithm calculated the optimal shoe model and size, also showing the fit and pressure points within the shoe.
• A production module including parametric modelling of the footbed based on foot shape and production constraints, with personalised insoles produced through CNC machining or 3D printing.

Project Paragon

Paragon aimed to improve footwear functionality through new materials and production technologies. It was inspired by the work on lattice materials and data-driven design in Movaid and AddFactor projects, and based on the Generative Engine Module (GEM) developed at Thinking Additive.
The project focused on supporting post-exercise recovery for climbers (The North Face) and skaters (Vans). Following the research phase, it explored different concept shoes incorporating materials and technology, with a particular focus on 3D-printed lattice structures.
The main innovation lay in the data-driven material properties—the ability of the GEM Lattice module to dynamically adjust material behaviour across different areas of the product. Unfortunately, the projects were put on hold indefinitely during Covid-19 due to cuts in innovation funding.