• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, April 7, 2017

In another move designed to win over the world’s sports performance design geeks, Adidas just unveiled the Futurecraft 4D, a high-end running shoe made from a new type of 3D printing.

The company launched its first 3D offering, called the Futurecraft 3D, back in 2015. But it says this version takes manufacturing technology to a new level. Adidas says the midsole in the new shoe is based on some 17 years of worth of running data, and that it represents its first forays into design and manufacturing driven by athlete analytics.

In a video about the process, it says the shoe is “crafted with light and oxygen,” it promises it will “reshape the footwear manufacturing universe,” and in its announcement, says the launch is part of its ambition to create “the ultimate running shoe for all.”

Made in partnership with Carbon, a startup based in Silicon Valley, the company says it represents a breakthrough in 3D technology, called Digital Light Synthesis, which “uses digital light projection, oxygen-permeable optics and programmable liquid resins to generate high-performance, durable polymeric products.”

The small-batch technology is said to lend itself to higher levels of personalization, faster production and better quality. Adidas hopes to sell 5,000 pairs of the new kicks this fall, and 100,000 pairs by the end of 2018.

High-tech hype aside, Adidas is having a good run in the performance shoe category right now. A recent analysis from market research NPD Group says that while the overall running shoe market declined with most major brands struggling, Adidas has been the exception. Adidas more than doubled its market share to 10%. In a presentation to investors last month, Adidas execs say it increased its sales in the running category in the United States by more than 40%. And last fall, it regained its spot as the No. 2 best-selling sports brand in the U.S., booting upstart Under Armour back into third place.

Last year, the company generated plenty of buzz in the manufacturing world by introducing a limited-edition shoe made from recycled ocean trash, in partnership with Parley for the Oceans.