Nike To 3D-Print FlyWeb Bra For Historic Run

Nike has developed a 3D-printed sports bra to help Olympian Faith Kipyegon become the first woman to run a mile in under four minutes.

Why It Hits: By now, it’s no secret that Nike has faced a sales slump in recent years, prompting a change of CEOs and refocusing on sports performance over athleisure. Popularizing 3D-printed apparel could be a game-changer for the brand.

Between the Stitches: On Thursday, Kipyegon will attempt to break the four-minute mile (she’s already the closest woman to do so at four minutes and seven seconds) wearing Nike’s new FlyWeb bra.

• The FlyWeb is made of woven thermoplastic polyurethane that’s “a unitard adorned with strategically-placed plastic nodules to improve aerodynamics,” per Nike.
• According to The Information, it resembles plastic mosquito netting somewhat.
• If it helps Kipyegon break the running record, it could become the ultimate marketing tool to commercialize the product.
• It would also open the door for Nike to create other products using 3D printing, which could have a range of performance applications.
• It would also allow Nike to potentially move manufacturing to countries with lighter US tariffs (most products are made in China and Vietnam).

Last Lap: New CEO Elliott Hill says Nike had recently “lost our obsession with sport,” so he’s doubling down on cutting-edge, high-performance products — a category where few can compete with the brand and one that’s currently experiencing double-digit growth even as overall revenue falls. The last time Nike developed a product for an athlete to beat a world record (Eliud Kipchoge’s attempt to complete a marathon in under two hours), it led to the bestselling Zoom Vaporfly 4% and kicked off a “super shoes” arms race.

Prediction: If Nike can convince women to wear plastic 3D-printed sports bras (both for running and for, like, grocery shopping), then Nike could be at the forefront of an apparel manufacturing revolution that could lift its finances.