Swiss Shoe Company ‘On’ Revolutionizes Industry with Robotic Arm and Spray-On Fabric

Swiss Shoe Company ‘On’ Revolutionizes Industry with Robotic Arm and Spray-On Fabric

Just a decade and a half ago, On was a relatively unknown player in the sports shoe market, dominated by stalwarts like Nike, Adidask, and Hoka. The innovative design of their shoes, which feature a unique base resembling a collection of hollow pebbles, quickly endeared them to sports enthusiasts.

Fast forward to today, and the Swiss-based company is recording record-high sales, exceeding $700 million in the third quarter of 2024 alone. On continues to revolutionize the athletic shoe industry by challenging traditional manufacturing methods.

On’s Innovation Journey

Earlier this year, On introduced a revolutionary shoe that takes only three minutes to make. Using a robotic arm, fabric material is sprayed onto a foot mold to create the shoe. And it doesn’t have laces either. This radical approach to shoemaking is a clear departure from the labor-intensive stitchwork traditionally associated with shoe manufacturing.

The credit for this innovation goes to David Allemann, one of On’s co-founders. Allemann attributes the company’s success to its commitment to challenging norms and pushing boundaries in a market notorious for brand loyalty.

On’s journey towards innovation began with co-founder Olivier Bernhard‘s idea of a shoe with hosepipe pieces at the sole for added cushioning. This concept served as an inspiration for its signature CloudTec design.

About four years ago, On crossed paths with Johannes Voelchert, a student who had developed a Halloween-esque hot glue spray for creating fake cobwebs. Seeing potential in this, On brought Voelchert on board to develop his idea further and test it on a larger scale.

This decision was validated when Kenyan athlete Hellen Obiri won the Boston Marathon and the Paris Olympics wearing On’s LightSpray shoe.

The Promise of Spray-On Shoes

Allemann believes that the shoe industry has been stagnant in terms of manufacturing methods. With its seamless exterior and lighter weight, On’s new shoe is a game-changer. It simplifies the manufacturing process significantly, eliminating the need to ship parts around, and potentially enabling near-shoring.

The spray-on shoes are now available at select On stores for just over $300. However, their availability in limited quantities presents a new challenge for On as it seeks to make this shoe a breakthrough success.

On’s future plans include scaling its new spray technology. The company’s strategy will be guided by how runners respond to and use the new shoe.

Choosing On

Despite being based in Switzerland, On has always been globally oriented, with two-thirds of its business coming from the U.S. The company’s growth has been largely organic, with little intervention.

In 2019, tennis legend Roger Federer backed On after being spotted wearing On gear. He later invested an undisclosed amount for a 3% stake in the company. Similarly, Hellen Obiri chose to wear On’s shoes for her races after training in them.

The recent signing of new brand ambassador Zendaya was a stroke of serendipity. She came across On’s sneakers while filming for “Challengers” and has been a fan ever since.

Allemann describes On as a “discovering brand” that has grown primarily through word-of-mouth. While this may seem old-fashioned, it has undoubtedly worked for them. On has also not shied away from collaborations, including a recent one with high-fashion brand Loewe.