Co-Organizers: Hongkong 3D Printing Association, Shenzhen Xinbochuan Material Technology Co., Ltd, Synbotron Technology Co., Ltd.
Supporting Units: Guangdong Shoes Manufacturers‘ Association, Jinjiang Association of Shoes Manufactures
Strategic Partner: Nanjixiong
Award Positioning & Vision: Defining Technology -To clarify the technological capabilities and limitations of 3D printing in footwear manufacturing, foster material and process innovation, and set industry-wide technical benchmarks. Recognizing Innovations - Celebrating pioneering advances in design, hardware, and materials; fueling innovation; and raising the bar for industrial creativity. Connecting Ecosystem - Integrating talent, brands, and production capacity; streamlining the journey from idea to mass manufacturing; and promoting seamless collaboration across the value chain. Showcasing Design - Revealing breakthrough works through exhibition and storytelling — inspiring the world to see, understand, and embrace the art of 3D printed footwear. Expanding Imagination - From everyday wear to extreme environments — exploring the many faces of 3D printed footwear and reimagining the dialogue between form and purpose. Driving Development - Let the awards be the catalyst — uniting technology, industry, and culture in shared progress, building a foundation for lasting, sustainable momentum.
Award Categories
Design Awards
Filament Forge Footwear Design Award (FDM)
LatticEdge Footwear Design Award (DLP/LCD)
EmberStruct Footwear Design Award (SLM)
JetFusion Footwear Design Award (MJF/SLS）
Creative Breakthrough Award · Best Conceptual Design
Trend Defining Award · Best Fashion-forward Design
Brand Awards
The Pathfinder Award – Pioneer Brand of the Year
The Trusted Choice Award – Most Popular 3D-Printed Footwear of the Year
The Crossover Impact Award – Breakthrough Influence of the Year
The Rising Star Award – Emerging Brand of the Year
Printer Awards
Filament Forge Manufacturing Award (FDM)
LatticEdge Footwear Manufacturing Award (DLP/LCD）
EmberStruct Footwear Design Award (SLM)
JetFusion Footwear Manufacturing Award (MJF）
Material Awards
Material AwardsFilament Forge Material Award（FDM）
LatticEdge Footwear Material Award (UV-Curable）
EmberStruct Footwear Material Award（Metal）
JetFusion Footwear Material Award（MJF）
The Special Awards
Annual Award for Sustainable Excellence
Annual Award for Cultural Impact & Expression
Judge Committe:
Nicolimne van Enter
The Chairman of Committe
World-renowned footwear technology forecaster, educator and innovation strategist with 30+ years of experience spanningglobal brands, manufacturing technologies, materials science and academic institutions. Founder of Footwearology - theleading academy for footwear professionals - combining an R&:D lab, prototyping facility and education centre in Alicante,Spain, which will be moving to Asia by the end of 2026. Deep expertise in translating complex technological developments(3D printing, Al, circular manufacturing, advanced knitting, biotechnology, end-of-life systems) into practical educationalframeworks for industry professionals. Proven track record working with brands across the full supply chain - from Nikeand Adidas to Timberland, Birkenstock, Camper and Kering Group - as well as machine manufacturers (Desma, HP, SantoniStoll) and material suppliers (Huntsman Corporation, Recreus, Balena).
Philippe Holthuizen
Founder of a global leader in FDM 3D-printed footwear; our studio ranks in the top ten on a leading FDM footwear platform, alongside Nike and major luxury houses — and the only independently run, FDM-iterating designer on the list. A regular on international runways and fashion weeks, our footwear is worn by numerous celebrities, featured in top art and fashion media, and profiled by MAEKAN and Nine River Films. We are shaping the future of footwear design, driving 3D printing from concept to mass production and daily wear. Guided by "design-driven, technology-empowered, sustainability-focused," we are pioneering the FDM 3D-printed footwear sector.
lufei Li
Athletic Footwear Innovation Product Manager with 12 years of experience at a leading domestic sportswear company. Expertise across running, training, and lifestyle categories in product planning and integrated marketing. 9 years in offline futures order management, 3 years in e-commerce fast-response operations. Recently focused on professional running footwear. Deeply involved in the full product lifecycle — from consumer insights and planning to R&D and production. Well-versed in sports science, with particular strength in sports biomechanics. Proven track record in integrated marketing and creating e-commerce bestsellers.
Jingda Li
Specializing in basketball shoe design and avant-garde performance footwear, with extensive experience in the design and development of signature and special-edition shoes for numerous NBA and CBA athletes.
Key Milestones & Core Activities
Call for Submissions
The submission process will begin on June 31, 2026, through an open online portal. Innovative works are welcome from designers, brands, and institutions.
First-Round Evaluation
An online evaluation will be carried out by the judging committee from August 1 to July 5. Three to five entries from each category will be selected as finalists.
Public Announcement and Engagement
The finalist list will be released from August 5 to August 14, during which public voting will open and multi-channel publicity along with work displays will be conducted.
Final Evaluation and Awards Ceremony
A final jury session will be held from August 17 to 21 to examine physical entries or video submissions. The awards ceremony will take place on August 27, where the final award recipients will be revealed.
Call for Registration & Special Notice
Call for Registration:
We sincerely invite 3D printed footwear designers, 3D printed footwear equipment and machinery manufacturers, as well as material suppliers to register and participate.
1. The copyright and related rights of the works submitted for this design award shall remain vested in the participating designers. The organizers fully adhere to the principles of international intellectual property protection. If a work contains content protected by third-party copyright, the participating designer shall ensure that legal authorization has been obtained, or provide verifiable proof of authorization or a disclaimer at the time of submission. In the event of any copyright disputes arising from the above reasons, the participating designer shall bear full legal and financial liability.
2. For works participating in the design award, only 2D design drafts, rendered 3D effect images, or videos of printed physical objects are required for the preliminary screening stage; submission of STL/CAD/CAM design data is not required.
3. For the final evaluation stage, a dynamic walking video of the 3D-printed physical shoe or the physical object itself is required. Important reminder: All physical objects submitted will be properly managed by the organizers. Without the participating designer's permission, no photography, scanning, copying, or other uses are permitted. Should any disputes arise from such actions, the participating designer may hold the organizers correspondingly accountable.
4. During the design award period, the organizers have the right to use the submitted 2D design drafts, rendered 3D effect images, or videos of printed physical objects for demonstration, evaluation, statistical analysis, on-site dissemination, online dissemination, archiving, and other related purposes. Participating designers shall not seek additional remuneration or compensation from the organizers for such uses.
5. Within one month after the conclusion of the awards ceremony, participating designers have the right to request that the organizers delete and cease the dissemination of all submitted 2D design drafts, rendered 3D effect images, videos of printed physical objects, and photos of physical objects taken during the awards ceremony.
