DISTRIBUTED MANUFACTURING VIA DIGITAL FABRICATION: A STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE LOCAL PRODUCTION OF FO- OTWEAR COMPONENTS

MANUFATURA DISTRIBUÍDA VIA FABRICAÇÃO DIGITAL: UMA ESTRATÉGIA PARA PRODUÇÃO LOCAL SUSTENTÁVEL DE COMPONENTES DE CALÇADOS

Authors

  • Bruna Andrade UFPR - UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO PARANÁ
  • Aguinaldo dos Santos UFPR - UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO PARANÁ
  • Ana Cristina Broega UM - UNIVERSIDADE DO MINHO
  • Felipe Santos Gomes UFPR - UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO PARANÁ

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29183/2447-3073.MIX2025.v11.n3.222-243

Keywords:

Distributed Manufacturing, Digital Fabrication, Design for Sustainability, Footwear

Abstract

This research raises questions regarding a systemic change in the current footwear production and consumption model, through the use of strategies oriented towards Distributed Manufacturing and Digital Fabrication of shoes components. It aims to validate such strategies for a sustainable local production, providing small companies of the sector more autonomy and involvement in the processes, towards a more distributed and hybrid (digital and artisanal) manufacturing process. It emphasizes the development of Distributed Economy solutions through the creation of value for actors in small local businesses in the sector. Through a single case study with a participatory observation, the process of redesigning a shoe was conducted in 4 main phases with a small local company in the sector in partnership with a makerspace. The project was carried out with the support of design tools to develop solutions, and as a result, a prototype of a shoe was obtained, made in collaboration between the actors, showing that the local-global capacity of the Distributed Manufacturing via Digital Fabrication strategy has the potential to provide sustainable alternatives to the complex global supply chains for footwear and a possible solution to the excessive consumption of resources in this sector.

Author Biographies

  • Bruna Andrade, UFPR - UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO PARANÁ

    Designer, researcher and shoemaker. Currently a PhD candidate in Design at Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) and member of the Design & Sustainability Research group. Master in Design (UFPR 2022), Bachelor in Design (UNIBRASIL, 2014). In 2012 co-founded Gasp Design, a small footwear business that works in the development of design projects, modeling, or complete collections of footwear or accessories, with an emphasis on the reuse and recovery of industrial waste and a focus on rescuing and valuing classic traditional shoemaking techniques. Develop prototypes and offers services focused on specific project needs, from product design to production methods and systems, and acts as a consultant for research oriented towards design for sustainability. In 2016 also co-founded Casa 102, a project and shared workspace to foster sustainable Fashion Designers and artists in Curitiba-Brazil. The research interests are Design for Sustainability, Footwear Sustainability, Design and New Economies, Systemic Design, Design and Handcraft, Territory and Sustainable Innovation Amplification.

    LATTES: http://lattes.cnpq.br/8883692081161315

    ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1586-7892

  • Aguinaldo dos Santos, UFPR - UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO PARANÁ

    Father of Lucca and Thomas and husband of Ana Lucia Leal do Santos. He holds a technical degree in Automotive Mechanics from SENAI/PR (1984), a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the Federal University of Paraná (1992), a master's degree in Civil Engineering from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (1995), a Ph.D. in Built Environment from Salford University (1999), and a post-doctoral degree in Design for Sustainability from Politecnico di Milano (2009). He has been a full professor in the Department of Design at the Federal University of Paraná since 2002 and the coordinator of the Design & Sustainability Research Center since 2003. He has also worked in the Civil Construction Graduate Program (2000-2011), the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Program (2004-2007), and the Design Graduate Program (2005-present), where he was a coordinator from 2011 to 2013 and is currently the coordinator (2024-2026).He is a level 2 productivity scholarship recipient from CNPq, where he coordinated the Design Advisory Committee from 2005 to 2007. He was visiting professor at the Escuela Militar del Ecuador (Ecuador), Strathclyde University (Scotland), the Master's in Strategic Design at Politecnico di Milano (Italy), and Hunan University (China). He served as the Technology Transfer Coordinator for the UFPR Innovation Agency from July 2009 to July 2010. He has published 81 journal articles, 15 books, 30 book chapters and 180 conference papers. He has supervised or co-supervised 52 master's dissertations, 15 doctoral theses, 5 post-doctoral studies, 1 specialization monograph, 27 undergraduate final monographs, and supervised 51 young scientific researchers (undergraduate scholarships), including two for high school students. His research focuses on Design for Sustainability, covering topics like Product+Service Systems, Distributed Economy, Design for Sustainable Behavior, and Biocentric Design. In his free time, he is a marathon runner, stingless beekeeper, and numismatist.

    LATTES: http://lattes.cnpq.br/7834194247765889

    ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8645-6919

  • Ana Cristina Broega, UM - UNIVERSIDADE DO MINHO

    - PhD in Textile Engineering - Textiles Physics (Comfort Properties) and MSc in Design and Marketing by the University of Minho. Assistant Professor, at the University of Minho, teaching in the areas of Design, (Apparel Design, Accessories Design (Footwear Design) and Fashion Design; Director of the Master Courses in Fashion Communication Design. Researcher at the Centre for Textile Science and Technology, University of Minho since 1997, her research interests are focused on Textile Comfort, Sustainability applied to the field of Fashion Design and Creativity Methodologies applied to the Teaching of Design, with more than 100 publications in these areas.

    Head Director of the International Congress of Design and Fashion (CIMODE 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2022); member of several Scientific Councils of Conferences and Periodical Journals on the Area of Design and Fashion.

    ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8400-8402

  • Felipe Santos Gomes, UFPR - UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO PARANÁ

    Architect and urban planner from UFPR, postgraduate in Cinema from UNESPAR, specialist in Digital Fabrication from IaaC (ES) and master in Society and Technology from UTFPR. Founder of the Araucária Creation Laboratory, where he works with digital fabrication, prototyping and electronics. His current research investigates the potential of urban waste as a productive resource in strengthening local and circular supply chains.

    ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2321-6018

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Published

2026-02-19

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 3 (2025): v. 11 n. 3 (2025): Edição especial ENSUS 2025

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Científica

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Copyright (c) 2026 Bruna Andrade, Aguinaldo dos Santos, Ana Cristina Broega, Felipe Santos Gomes

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How to Cite

DISTRIBUTED MANUFACTURING VIA DIGITAL FABRICATION: A STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE LOCAL PRODUCTION OF FO- OTWEAR COMPONENTS: MANUFATURA DISTRIBUÍDA VIA FABRICAÇÃO DIGITAL: UMA ESTRATÉGIA PARA PRODUÇÃO LOCAL SUSTENTÁVEL DE COMPONENTES DE CALÇADOS. (2026). Mix Sustentável, 11(3), 222-243. https://doi.org/10.29183/2447-3073.MIX2025.v11.n3.222-243

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