ShiftWear’s custom E-Ink kicks bring clothing to life
E-Ink has many applications outside of just being able to help you read novels on your Kindle, and when combined with other technologies it could just be what we need to move away from smartphones and onto the "next" platform.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2018) 'ShiftWear’s custom E-Ink kicks bring clothing to life', 311 Institute, 14 January. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/shiftwears-custom-e-ink-kicks-bring-clothing-to-life/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
If you’re one of those people that likes to wear flashy, unique trainers, or you’re just never happy with the look of any of the footwear you keep buying, there’s light at the end of the tunnel thanks to a company called ShiftWear who’ve just shown off their new “badass” sneaker prototype that displays customised designs using an E-Ink display and an app.
The New York based startup, which is currently trying to raise $25,000 via a crowd funding campaign in order to bring the product to market, say users can choose different colours or designs and apply them to the E-Ink display on the outer portion of the shoes. Furthermore, the E-Ink display doesn’t just display static images, it displays moving animations as well, but that said these’ll no doubt consume more battery power and the company hasn’t disclosed how long the battery will last if you run it in that mode all the time. The static images, on the other hand apparently won’t use much battery power...
E-Ink, Bringing Clothing To Life
Once they’re bought to market the company says they’ll also support wireless charging and include “Walk to charge” functionality that tops the battery up with every step the user takes, and they’ll also incorporate a backlight which will help illuminate the designs in the dark so others can see them.
ShiftWear is also claiming the shoes are durable, being able to store up to 30 days of battery life, waterproof up to 5 meters, and even machine washable. Meanwhile the soles are coated with Kevlar fibers to add an extra layer of protection from the elements, and taking it further, the app used to control the shoe design will also act as a marketplace to hock your own designs or download some from others, and it’s fairly evident from the marketing language that this will be a way to generate revenue for both the designer and ShiftWear, which would likely take a cut.
The shoes will be available in high, medium, and low tops, and a pledge of $150 is enough to get a pair of low tops, add $100 for the medium, and another $100 for the highs, and if you’re interested check out their Indiegogo page.
As for why I’m covering the story though, well, E-Ink could be one of the technologies we integrate with clothing, and as companies around the world try to figure out what comes after the smartphone E-Ink could provide part of the answer, and if you want to know how and why then you’ll have to keep an eye out for my forthcoming "Future of Smartphones 2020 &Beyond" paper which will be available in a few weeks time.
What this means for your organisation
Clothing is becoming a screen.
The ShiftWear prototype shows custom designs on an E-Ink display on the outer part of the shoe, set through an app. Static images apparently use little battery. Moving animations use more, and the battery life in that mode has not been disclosed.
Power is the real limit.
ShiftWear says its shoes will support wireless charging and a Walk to charge feature that tops up the battery with every step. 311 data lists human batteries, which gather power from body movement, at readiness level 3, with first products in 2030. Polymer batteries, which are thinner and safer, sit at level 9 with wide use expected by 2034.
Apps could turn designs into a market.
The shoe app will also act as a marketplace to sell or download designs. That points to revenue for designers and for ShiftWear, which would likely take a cut. Teams in apparel, retail and platforms should watch how this model develops.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Which of our products could carry a low-power display in the next few years?
- What would a design marketplace mean for our revenue and our brand?
- How would we power wearable devices without asking customers to plug them in?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
E-Ink has many applications outside of just being able to help you read novels on your Kindle, and when combined with other technologies it could just be what we need to move away from smartphones and onto the "next" platform.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- ShiftWear shiftwear.com
- Shiftwear customize your kicks indiegogo.com
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 14 January 2018. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2018). ShiftWear’s custom E-Ink kicks bring clothing to life. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/shiftwears-custom-e-ink-kicks-bring-clothing-to-life/
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