Chinese startup PollyPolymer has developed a 3D printing technology that works up to 100 times faster than conventional methods.
Founded as a shoe manufacturer, the company now supplies bionic muscles for humanoid robots.
Details
🦾 Robot muscles: PollyPolymer supplies bionic muscles for humanoid robots. The materials must meet extreme requirements: 300% stretchability while maintaining high heat resistance and skin-like texture.
👟 Shoes as cash cow: 60% of revenue comes from footwear. PollyPolymer printed 2 million pairs of shoes in 2025; 4 million are planned for 2026. Clients: Cole Haan, Skechers, Peak Sport.
⚡ The secret weapon: Through so-called "Hindered Asynchronous Light Synthesis" (HALS), Chinese printers achieve speeds up to 100 times faster than conventional standards.
🌍 International expansion underway: 25% of revenue comes from outside China. In 2026, PollyPolymer plans to open physical stores in the US, France, and Japan.
⏱️ Development speed: PollyPolymer already has 10,000 proprietary formulations and responds to new design requirements (e.g., for Disney) within weeks.
And the US?
- The Pentagon has classified 3D printers as "strategically sensitive infrastructure" and will ban future purchases from China.
- US printers are more expensive, slower, and less innovative. Companies sue over patent infringements, but consumers buy Chinese anyway.
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