Combining long-developed technologies such as 3D printing and traditional sandal weaving led to the creation of the “TYPE-Ⅲ Magarimono project,” introduced in 2022. Nearly three years later, a new product is now being revealed. The latest sandals are simpler and more comfortable to wear, without the typical layered textures of 3D printing or the aesthetic of traditional craftsmanship. And yet, they seem to embody the result of continually exploring the potential of footwear and manufacturing. The project’s core members, Ayato Tsumagari and Yuta Akizuki of MAGARIMONO, and Masahiro Okamoto of A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE, reflect on their journey.

What new possibilities does the emerging technology of digital fabrication bring to shoemaking? Founded in 2020, MAGARIMONO has explored unique manufacturing processes and their technical background, such as producing small batches of diverse sneaker designs using 3D printing. In 2022, a joint project with A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE (below A-POC ABLE) led to the launch of the “TYPE-Ⅲ Magarimono project”, introducing sandals that combined computationally designed outsoles with the form of traditional Japanese hand-woven sandals (zōri).

There is of course a deep and prolonged exploration of the manufacturing process itself behind the uniqueness of this product. To soften the rigidity of the 3D-printed sole for example, the team combined it with a woven insole, reminiscent of traditional straw sandals (zōri). Instead of using adhesives, they chose to integrate the parts through interweaving, a process that required complex frames and structured forms, which only 3D printing could possibly realize. It means that the seemingly contrasting techniques of zōri weaving and 3D printing inseparably coexist.

Now, the second release from the “TYPE-Ⅲ Magarimono project” presents a new piece of footwear: a back-banded sandal. The comfort has been significantly improved and it is easier to wear, stays more securely on the foot, and has been refined into a clean and simple design. The signature features however, such as the visible layering of 3D printing and the handcrafted look of zōri weaving, are nowhere to be seen. So where has the spirit of digital fabrication and craft exploration gone? It is in fact still very much present, just in a more flexible and sophisticated form.

A conversation among the core members of this project, Ayato Tsumagari and Yuta Akizuki of MAGARIMONO and Masahiro Okamoto of A-POC ABLE, sheds light on how this evolution has taken shape.

──It’s been three years since the first “TYPE-Ⅲ Magarimono project”. The new product is also a sandal-type, but its shape is very different from the previous model, and it seems the production method has changed significantly as well.

Ayato Tsumagari (“Tsumagari” below): In the first “TYPE-Ⅲ” project, our goal was to create comfortable footwear which could be worn barefoot, by using digital fabrication. To achieve this, we built a process that combined 3D printing technology with handcrafted techniques.

This time, however, as MAGARIMONO, we took on the challenge of exploring a wider range of manufacturing methods while we continued to pursue key characteristics unique to 3D printing, such as small-batch, multi-variety production and highly flexible shaping. We went through a great deal of trial and error over roughly two and a half years of research and development, but I believe it allowed us to expand the possibilities of shoemaking.

Having said that, the production method isn’t entirely unrelated to the previous one. One shared feature is the way the sole and the upper are joined by threading a cord. That detail serves both a functional and aesthetic purpose, just like last time.

──I see. So while there are some shared features, does that mean 3D printing technology wasn’t used in this new product? There are after all no visible layering marks (the striped surfaces, typical of 3D printing) on the soles.

Tsumagari: That’s correct. We did not use 3D printing for the product itself, although the process of making it still draws heavily from that technology. One reason is that it has become increasingly difficult to mass-produce finished products using 3D printing.

Yuta Akizuki (“Akizuki” below): Exactly. I think this is an issue affecting many areas of manufacturing. Another major factor is currency fluctuation. We used to produce our 3D-printed products overseas in the past, but in recent years it has become much harder to balance costs.

In addition to these external and societal influences, we at MAGARIMONO have also made a conscious decision to focus on developing new methods and technologies for manufacturing. Rather than relying solely on 3D printing, we began exploring other approaches that would still offer the benefits of digital fabrication, such as flexibility, efficiency, and the ability to produce small-batch, high-variety items.

For example, we started experimenting with molding methods using silicone molds instead of expensive metal ones. We looked into injection molding methods as well as blow molding methods, researching a wide variety of manufacturing techniques. Among these, the one that showed the most potential was the subtractive manufacturing method (cutting/shaping from a solid block). With no need to make metal molds, it allows us to produce many different shapes in limited quantities, perfect for small-batch, high-variety production.

While the technology itself is a long-established one, the 3D printing we specialize in is a form of “additive manufacturing”, where shapes are basically formed by adding material layer by layer. In contrast, the subtractive manufacturing method is where material is removed to create the form, essentially the opposite approach. By exploring these methods, we felt we could expand both our technical capabilities and our creative perspective at MAGARIMONO.

──So the product was shaped using a subtractive manufacturing method. Is this technique commonly used in footwear production, such as for sandals like these?

Tsumagari: No, I don’t think it’s typically used in the manufacturing of mass-produced sneakers or sandals because it involves carving out each product or part one by one, which makes it unsuitable for large-scale production. On the flip side, it is ideal for small-batch, high-variety manufacturing. That’s exactly why we wanted to apply this technique to shape the soles in this project.

Akizuki: Subtractive machining as a technique has primarily evolved in the context of metalworking, and when it comes to softer materials like rubber, it becomes relatively more technically challenging. That’s not to say the industry lacks experience with it entirely, but in the case of our footwear, where we were aiming for soft, smooth, and refined forms, it was difficult to achieve the desired finish during the early stages. To address this, we worked closely and communicated with machine manufacturers and skilled craftspeople to share knowledge about processing soft materials. On our end, we too made adjustments to the design itself, shaping the components in ways that made them easier to produce. Through this process, we were able to keep improving the overall quality.

──So you essentially restructured the shoemaking process from the ground up. You mentioned earlier that 3D printing technology still played a role in that process. Can you elaborate?

Akizuki: Specifically, we used 3D printers during the development of the prototypes. We also used 3D printing to create jig-like tools for the craftspeople to use when assembling the soles.

Tsumagari: The soles which were shaped through this manufacturing process have multiple layers of sponge-based insoles attached to them. In the past, we would have relied on a physical mold to serve as a guide. But with this new method we didn’t have that, and even experienced craftspeople found it difficult to maintain consistency just by eye. So we created a frame-like tool that could serve as a positioning guide for them to use. We made individual tools for both left and right feet, and for each size. By doing so, I believe we were able to improve both consistency and efficiency significantly in the production process.

──That makes sense. Since the production process itself is new, it naturally requires tools that haven’t existed before. Using a 3D printer to create those tools is a very innovative and logical approach.

Akizuki: Exactly. If we were to make new tools using conventional methods like molding, it would take a lot of time and cost. But with a 3D printer, we can make them for just a few hundred yen in about an hour. We have never thought that 3D printers must only be used for the final product. There is great potential in using digital fabrication for behind-the-scenes processes that aren’t visible in the finished product.

Tsumagari: 3D printing is just one tool. What we want to create is what matters most, and the 3D printer simply supports that goal. If it makes sense to use it for the final product, that’s great of course. But it can be just as useful in a supporting role like it was this time. That kind of flexibility and freedom is what characterizes 3D printers and digital fabrication in general.

Akizuki: Speaking of digital fabrication, we also developed a new program for this project. When Tsumagari draws the outline shape of the sole in Illustrator (a graphic design application), the program automatically generates 3D machining data. As we had repeated discussions with the A-POC ABLE team, we fine-tuned the curves and shapes of the sole, and by simply adjusting the graphics, the 3D data would be generated in a fraction of a second. This drastically accelerated the speed of prototyping and development.

Previously, every time a revision was made, we’d have to adjust the 3D data down to the millimeter in order to make sure the whole model was consistent, and modeling just one 3D sole could take half a day to a full day. Now we’ve streamlined that into a single algorithmic process. It also makes it much easier to generate different variations.

Tsumagari: Let me say, the final product from this project looks like a deeply physical, handmade object, something very tactile. But behind the scenes, we were able to apply digital fabrication technology very skilfully.

──Just like in the previous project, this time again you’ve achieved a new form of fusion between handcraft and technology. Was that idea something you had envisioned from the beginning of the project?

Tsumagari: We didn’t think we would create something by purely using digital fabrication from the outset. We knew something more would be necessary, but it took a lot of trial and error to figure out what that was. We experimented with things like laser cutting and weaving techniques, or even bamboo weaving. Through the research and development process, our path gradually became clearer.

Masahiro Okamoto (“Okamoto” below): That’s right. I hadn’t mentioned this to Tsumagari-san or Akizuki-san before, but going back to the stage before we started making things, there was something Miyamae (Yoshiyuki Miyamae, designer at A-POC ABLE) said that left a strong impression on me. He asked, “What if you approached shoemaking as if you had returned to the Stone Age?”. That question completely struck me. In that era, there were no sewing machines or adhesives. If you think about how shoes might have been made in such a setting, you could imagine carving wood into the shape of feet, wrapping leather or leaves around them with vines, and wearing them barefoot. That kind of extremely analog approach initially felt like a limitation but in the end, it became a source of inspiration.

Tsumagari: You never told us that story! This is the first time I’m hearing it.

Okamoto: Sorry (laughs), I didn’t mean to hide it.

Tsumagari: That might explain the extensive primitive weaving research I did together with Okamoto-san. We learned a lot from that and maybe it was thanks to that “Stone Age shoemaking” keyword.

Okamoto: We did a lot of hands-on studies of weaving techniques. For instance, we tried weaving bamboo materials like fabric to create uppers and for that, we researched bamboo weaving and rattan and explored woven structural ideas by studying tents and chairs. I think we were ultimately able to apply those learnings to the form and function of the final product.

Take the upper, for example, it’s composed of two parts that open wide, making them very easy to put on. Yet at the same time, the shape wraps around the instep and heel, so they don’t slip off easily. Plus the inside is lined with ultra-suede, a soft synthetic leather, for comfort. And the sponge material layered inside was carefully selected by Tsumagari-san and the team. We were all deeply committed to comfort and the fit.

Tsumagari: We always intended for the final output to appear very simple in form. So the more we leaned into that simplicity, the more strongly we wanted the user to feel something special the moment they slipped the shoe on. We researched materials closely with the artisans and eventually found the sole of the highest-grade setta (traditional Japanese sandals) worn by maikos (apprentice geisha). It's made of a high-resilience foamed urethane and the difference in comfort is remarkable.

I believe comfort is one of the most important functions of a shoe. You can of course take that to the extreme with performance-based designs like running or walking shoes, tested for mass production and widespread usability. And that’s important too. But what we want to pursue is a more flexible, creative form of shoemaking, like this project, that can propose new possibilities.

──I see. On the other hand, footwear seems like a difficult product to innovate with. After all, the shape and function of the human foot don’t change, and it is not well-suited for excessive ornamentation.

Akizuki: We don’t really have the intention of reinventing footwear. Our strength, I believe, lies in deeply researching and accumulating knowledge about manufacturing methods like digital fabrication or subtractive processes, and then, within the given constraints, maximizing the potential of both the production methods and materials, translating that into function and design.

Tsumagari: This goes back a little, but when we first launched MAGARIMONO and finally had access to 3D printers, the first thing I thought was how we can make shoes freely. With the constraints of the wooden molds removed, we were liberated from many of the traditional steps of shoemaking. That realization was incredibly exciting.

This project mainly uses subtractive manufacturing, but we didn’t use any wooden molds here either. So, much like with 3D printing, the process offers a great deal of freedom in how shoes are made. I truly believe this opens up a wide range of possibilities going forward.

──Ok, so in this project as well, the possibilities of the manufacturing process have been explored. Do you then feel you were able to answer the question posed by the notion of the “Stone Age”?

Okamoto: Yes. Looking back again, I think the origin of this product truly reflects that keyword, “Stone Age.” Usually shoe soles are mass-produced by creating metal molds for each size and pouring resin into them, as otherwise the costs wouldn’t balance out. For the same reason, uppers and soles are typically bonded together with adhesives.

Amid these existing shoemaking processes, this time we had a completely different point of view and approach. The sole is shaped by subtractive machining and assembled with the upper using a cord, almost like carving a wooden sole and weaving a leaf upper with vines, as I mentioned earlier.

Tsumagari: That’s certainly true.

Okamoto: Many of the shoes and clothes that people wear today were originally created without precedents. They were gradually accepted by society and eventually recognized as standard or common. I am confident we can say that this footwear, born from a new manufacturing process, could similarly become a standard for future generations: simple, comfortable, and made by a thoughtful process.

──You could say this product restarts shoemaking from the “Stone Age.”

Tsumagari: I completely agree with Okamoto-san. I think even shoemaking artisans would be surprised when they come across it. While traditional craft techniques are used in the output, the product itself is something they’ve never seen before. The only slightly disappointing thing is that we didn’t hear the “Stone Age shoemaking” phrase at the very beginning (laughs).

Akizuki: Maybe it was good in a way, because now we can verify the answers.

MAGARIMONO

Founded in 2020, MAGARIMONO is a contemporary footwear studio sculpting the future with algorithms and innovation. Rethinking materials, reimagining craft—they fuse technology and artistry to create forms yet unseen. From their 3D-printed line, MAGARIMONO Originals, to imaginative creations pushing the boundaries of design, each work is an invitation to step into the unexplored realms of tomorrow. In 2023, they launched the “TYPE-III Magarimono project” with A-POC ABLE, and released the second edition this spring. Co-founder Ayato Tsumagari leads footwear design, while CTO Yuta Akizuki oversees digital fabrication technology and engineering.