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On’s Robot-Built Running Shoe Arrives in 3 Minutes.
Swiss brand On is reinventing running shoe construction. Their LightSpray Cloudmonster 3 Hyper replaces traditional uppers with a robotic system that sprays a single continuous filament onto a foot shaped mold. In just three minutes, the upper is complete with no seams, laces, or glue bonding directly to the midsole. The entire shoe uses only eight components, compared with the usual 30–50.
First tested in 2024 when marathoner Hellen Obiri won Boston wearing a prototype, the technology has scaled to a factory in South Korea with 32 robots, boosting production dramatically.
Design highlights a featherlight, spray-on upper paired with a thick, cushioned midsole. At 205 grams, it’s about 90 grams lighter than the standard Cloudmonster 3. The simplified construction also has sustainability benefits: fewer parts mean less material waste and easier recycling, with the upper’s CO₂ emissions reportedly up to 75% lower than traditional racing shoes. The LightSpray Cloudmonster 3 Hyper is more about exploring a new production method than just speed or style, a glimpse at what footwear could look like when robotics and design innovation take the lead. This manufacturing innovation minimizes waste and reduces carbon emissions related to upper production, compared to other On racing shoes.
