Drifbolt, a Delhi-based startup, has launched India’s first 3D-printed shoes, bringing to the country a category that is in conversation around the globe. The company prints each pair of shoes for the customer in about three hours.
Launched in 2026, Drifbolt is India’s first 3D-printed footwear brand, redefining traditional shoe manufacturing through additive technology.
For the last 50 years, shoe manufacturing has stayed the same way. A traditional shoe is made of 40 materials, and all 40 components usually have wastage. A Drifbolt shoe, by contrast, is made of a single part, with material going only where the design needs it. Because it is 3D printed, it can also fit according to the wearer.
The company says the technology is far more functional than the conventional one, making shoes that are fully breathable, more flexible and more comfortable than what people are used to.
3D printing also changes how quickly new shoes reach people. In traditional shoemaking, a new design takes around one year to be created by any brand, whereas in 3D printing a designer can design today and print tomorrow. Every pair is printed only after an order is placed, so there is no unsold stock and no waste of materials.
Drifbolt has already put this into practice with its own products, Wave, Breeze and Koral. Its future plan is to achieve mass personalisation of shoes, a custom fit for everyone.
Kartik Khatri, Co-Founder, Drifbolt, said, “Footwear has barely changed in decades. I grew up in a family that makes footwear components, and when I saw what 3D printing could do, I saw an opportunity that goes well beyond India. So we started Drifbolt.”
“Most shoes are designed for an average foot that nobody actually has. Due to a lack of innovation, the same patterns are used in the majority of designs by brands,” he added.
The shoes are produced on an AI-assisted printing platform. In place of a foam sole, each shoe has an open lattice that keeps the foot ventilated and compresses on impact to cushion every step. The material is bio-based TPU.
Before founding Drifbolt, Khatri spent six years in manufacturing and finance. His most recent role was director at Nandi Footwears, and before that he worked with The D.E. Shaw Group and Deloitte. He holds an MBA from IIM Rohtak and a management degree from Delhi University.
The collections of 3D shoes are now available for purchase through the company’s official website, https://drifbolt.com/.
