When footwear brands first began exploring additive manufacturing, much of the attention centered on customization. While not all companies using AM offer personalized products today, for some, customization remains a key part of their strategy.
3D printer manufacturer Bambu Lab and Presq are going one step further by releasing open-source 3D-printed footwear designs. Presq is a Los Angeles design-tech studio building prompt-to-product workflows for culturally resonant goods.
“Putting creativity back in the hands of the community”
“When you bring open-source design together with culturally relevant aesthetics and accessible technology, you get something powerful: a way of making that puts creativity back in the hands of the community,” Bambu Lab says about their collaboration.
With Fig.(0), an open-source footwear design built for customization and experimentation, both partners aim to give creators the tools to remix, adapt, and shape footwear.
This first release includes the U.S. Men’s Size 10 files, accompanied by a scaling coefficient table to adjust the model for other sizes. It also provides a pre-sliced .3mf file optimized for Bambu H2D printers, designed to use matte TPE 85A as the primary material and PLA as support—ensuring clean removal, reliable performance, and a wearable finish. In addition, the CAD file encourages creators to treat the base model as a canvas for modular attachments, unique textures, and performance enhancements.
“By pairing Bambu’s performance with our design system and creative direction, we’re giving creators a practical path from imagination to a real product people can wear,” says Adam Saleh, Presq’s Founder & CEO. “And we’re doing it in a way that keeps cultural value closer to the communities that create it.”
While it’s not really open-source, the initiative is similar to the HILOS’ platform that provides creators and designers a lot of flexibility to produce on-demand, 3D printed footwear.
Presq plans to release a new design drop with fresh styles you can explore, print, and make your own.
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