With Vivobiome, British company Vivobarefoot is introducing a novel approach to footwear customization through additive manufacturing. At the core of the concept is a fully digital process that combines 3D foot scanning, AI-driven modeling, and localized 3D printing. The first prototype to emerge from this system is the Tabi Gen 01 sandal, designed precisely to match the wearer’s foot anatomy. The objective: a shoe that adapts to the foot—not the other way around.
The process begins with a high-resolution 3D scan that captures the foot’s shape, posture, and movement patterns down to the millimeter. Based on this data, an individualized digital model is created and produced via Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) in a local micro-factory. Vivobarefoot uses bio-based or fully recyclable materials to close material loops and eliminate waste. Production is demand-driven and decentralized—a deliberate departure from conventional supply chains and inventory systems.
“Our vision isn’t a single product, but a new operating system for footwear,” says co-founder Asher Clark. “A system that works locally, responds to individual data—and learns with every step.”
The Tabi Gen 01 is specifically designed to support independent movement of the big toe—an essential aspect of natural gait biomechanics.
“Global standards create local problems—our answer is local solutions,” Clark explains. “The Tabi Gen 01 sandal is more than a product—it lays the foundation for Vivobiome as a new operating system in the footwear industry, built for personalized, healthy movement. A digital ecosystem that adapts, learns, and evolves.”
At the same time, the newly established Vivobiome Health Lab, in collaboration with institutions such as Leeds Beckett University, is studying the physiological effects of custom-made footwear on posture and overall well-being.
Distribution begins through pop-up stores in London and Prague, where customers are scanned on-site. Additional micro-factories are planned in Europe, the U.S., and Asia. In the long term, Vivobarefoot sees Vivobiome not as a single product, but as a digital infrastructure for personalized, health-oriented movement—rooted not in standardized sizes, but in the uniqueness of the human foot.
Metal Binder Jetting: The Key to Efficient Tool Manufacturing? - Exclusive Insights from INDO-MIM
Fill out the form and get instant access to an exclusive webinar on HP's Metal Binder Jetting 3D printing technology with exciting insights from INDO-MIM.Subscribe to our Newsletter
3DPresso is a weekly newsletter that links to the most exciting global stories from the 3D printing and additive manufacturing industry.
