Nike-Owned RTFKT Releases Six 3D Printed Sneakers With Zellerfeld as It Prepares to Close

RTFKT’s swan song is here.

According to the digital creator of virtual sneakers that Nike is shuttering this month, its final project in collaboration with 3D-printed shoemaker Zellerfeld is finally being revealed.

The project, dubbed the MNLTH X Blade Drop, features six visually striking sneaker designs that “celebrate” the conclusion of RTFKT’s web3 journey.

Powered by Zellerfeld’s 3D printing technology – which also brought Nike’s Air Max 1000 to life in November – the new designs include the RTFKT Dunk, CodeX Dunk, CYBR Stomper, Bladed Dragon, Undead Evo and Reptile Evo.

According to the company, the drop will be token-based. Consumers can grab MNLTH X tokens to unlock access to purchase up to six pairs of sneakers. Exclusive redemption codes will be sent via mnlth.rtfkt.com. Once received, consumers can then secure these new sneakers directly on zellerfeld.com.

The RTFKT Dunk will also be available for public sale, with out the need for tokens, on Zellerfeld’s website, the company added.

This launch comes one month after RTFKT, which was acquired by Nike in 2021, revealed it would shut down its operations. According to the company at the time, it said it would wind down its web3 operations by this month, with plans to launch a new website to preserve its past projects. These projects include the Clone X with Takashi Murakami, the RTFKT x Nike Dunks Genesis and the Space Drip collection.

Founded in 2019 by Benoit Pagotto, Chris Le and Steven Vasilev, RTFKT worked with game engines, NFTs, blockchain authentication and augmented reality to create products that live at the nexus between fashion and gaming.

RTFKT, which partners with digital artists, was a key acquisition for Nike under former chief executive officer John Donahoe. It came at a time when Nike, like other shoe companies, was pushing more deeply into digital sales, NFTs and opportunities in the metaverse.

As for Zellerfeld, this is the latest project for the growing 3D printed shoe company as it works towards its plans for the future. In June, the Hamburg, Germany-based company announced it has moved its platform out of beta and is now ready to fully launch what it’s calling the “YouTube of Shoes,” where nearly anyone can upload a design on Zellerfeld’s platform and get their shoes produced.

Through this new program, Zellerfeld chief executive officer Cornelius Schmitt emphasized that designers and brands are now able to rapidly bring new concepts to market, while consumers can access a diverse, ever-expanding range of footwear. The CEO noted that for the platform aims to “demolish traditional financial and logistical barriers” when creating footwear, allowing real-time experimentation and product refinement.

RTFKT’s MNLTH X Blade drop with Zellerfeld is now available.