Sports equipment manufacturer Reusch has ushered in a new era of sports gear by introducing the Attrakt Fusion Carbon 3D goalkeeper gloves, featuring 3D-printed strike zones. Co-developed with digital manufacturing company Carbon, the gloves were globally released last month.
Carbon leveraged the advantages of its Digital Light Synthesis 3D printing technology’s lattice structures to create strike zones with high elasticity, tear resistance, and energy absorption properties. Reusch refers to this 3D-printed core component as the “heart of the glove” and has integrated a number of patented technologies: Fusion Grip Latex ensures all-weather ball control; the Evolution Negative Cut delivers a second-skin fit; and the AdaptiveFlex Closure System balances wrist stability with flexible movement.
Christian Hilber, Product Manager for Reusch Goalkeeper Equipment, emphasized: “Compared to traditional rubber or latex materials, the 3D lattice structure provides unparalleled rebound and energy feedback, while achieving lightweight and extreme flexibility. By integrating 3D-printed backplates with exclusive technologies, we have created a revolutionary product that combines futuristic design with peak performance.”
Carbon’s Design Engine fine-tunes product performance by generating various combinations of lattice structures and assisted Reusch in transitioning from injection molding to 3D printing processes. Despite technical challenges, both parties believe this innovation opens up entirely new possibilities for goalkeeper gloves.
Ren Jiaqi, Application Development Engineer at Carbon, noted: “The decades-old drip-molded latex process for backplate materials has been completely revolutionized. 3D-printed lattices reshape the design language while maintaining performance, and their enhanced energy absorption effect provides superior protection for the back of the hand. We believe this is just the beginning of 3D printing technology’s application in goalkeeper equipment.”
Previously, Carbon’s Digital Light Synthesis technology and Design Engine have been applied to several sports equipment innovations, including Riddell’s Precision Diamond football helmet and Hayabusa’s T3D boxing gloves. This collaboration marks the official entry of 3D printing technology into the field of professional football goalkeeper equipment, setting a new benchmark for personalization and performance optimization in sports protective gear.
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