Nike CEO Mark Parker "knows that there is real pressure" to keep coming up with original ideas, and this is where 3D printing has become "so relevant" for the company, according to Janey Davies of INSIDE3DP.com. Utilizing 3D printing "allows the designers at Nike to be as creative as they wish, and experiment with certain techniques whilst saving money on manufacturing costs." Since the company created the Nike Football Rebento duffle bag for Brazil F Neymar, England F Wayne Rooney and Portugal MF Cristiano Ronaldo during this past summer's FIFA World Cup, Nike's "love of this technology" has complemented its "desire for innovative products." Nike already has "perfected FlyKnit, which is a new knitting technique, using different materials and 3D printing." But it is "not stopping there." Parker: "We've got a steady flow of innovations beyond FlyKnit to speed up our manufacturing more efficient, more sustainable, and offset some of those higher input costs. Specifically 3D printing that has tremendous opportunity for us." Davies noted Parker believes that Nike and 3D printing are "ideal partners, and sees this type of manufacturing as becoming industry standard within a short time." Parker: "We're on the verge of moving some other manufacturing revolution innovations to a much larger scale. So there's opportunity there" (INSIDE3DP.com, 10/13).
