A couple of imaginative designers have come up with a system that’ll create a pair of kicks faster than an orthodontist can mold a dental retainer.

The system is called Don’t Run, and is the beta design project of Eugenia Morpurgo and Juan Montero from Europe. A laser cutting machine and some 3D printing guided by computer numerical control lets a creative person participate in making their own shoes like never before.

A single cut piece of leather is folded over over a sandwich of custom cut sole materials connected by small pegs that resemble board game pieces.

The whole enchilada is then secured by a shoelace, which also serves as stitching for key points on the upper. No glueing or machine sewing is involved.

The mobile “factory” resembles more of a print shop, with leather instead of paper, ethylene vinyl acetate instead of cardboard, and spools of lace instead of staples.

The system has been travelling around in the mode of an art exhibit, with accomplished designers taking a swing with their own blueprints.  It’s certainly the beginning of an interesting experiment. I can’t picture your jogging sneakers of hiking boots being replaced by what is more of a beefed up slipper, but the Don’t Run model shows what is possible using fresh technology. Along with showcasing a streamlined model of production (therefore consumption), it may make going to brick and mortar shoe shops exciting  to a new-school consumer who would just assume click “buy” on a Zappos app.

All images from this post were grabbed from DontRun-Beta.com