Simplicity Works and the EIC Accelerator: Shoes in One Injection

Making one pair of shoes takes more than 80 separate operations, according to Simplicity Works. The company, based in the science park of Miguel Hernández University in Elche, Spain, developed 3D Bonding: a single injection of polymer forms a flexible "skeleton" that bonds leather, textile, rubber and other parts of a shoe together in seconds.

The European Innovation Council granted €1,290,322 towards a €1.84 million project that built a "smart production line" able to make 100 pairs a day, and reported a 75% cut in waste and a 13% lower carbon footprint. Spanish register data compiled by Empresia show the company active, with sales below €500,000 a year and a small capital increase in July 2026. No brand customer has been named.

Where Simplicity Works Stands Today

Simplicity Works' website offers a "3D Bonding dossier" to manufacturers and lists technology partners including the shoe-machine makers Desma and Dürkopp Adler and the chemicals group Huntsman. It claims the process reduces manpower by up to 70%, saves about 50% of leather and fabric and cuts energy use by 30% through local production. The register describes its business as research and licensing of patents, with sales under €500,000 a year; its latest deposited accounts date from 2024.

The Technology: One Shot Instead of Eighty Steps

In 3D Bonding, a polymer is injected once, forming a structure that holds the pieces of the shoe together and, the company says, keeps its shape permanently. According to the CORDIS report, the project built a line for designing, testing and producing shoes at 100 pairs a day, with a 30% improvement in product performance, a 75% reduction in waste and 7.6 kg less CO2 per pair.

What the EIC Project Promised, and What CORDIS Shows

The project promised a "new industrial process for footwear manufacturing using 3D Bonding". CORDIS reports the pilot line and environmental benefits but no customers, licensees or machines sold.

1. An industrial pilot lineDelivered100 pairs a day.
2. Environmental gainsDelivered75% less waste, company figure.
3. Brand or manufacturer adoptionNot shownNone named.
4. Revenue growthNot shownSales under €0.5M.

What Has Happened Since the Award

The Money

The award was blended finance; we found no EIC Fund investment. The register shows share capital of €956,540 after a small increase in July 2026. The company's detailed accounts were not accessible for this article.

Why Europe Should Care

Simplicity Works presents 3D Bonding as a way to cut labour enough to make shoes close to customers, which it calls "proximity production". The EIC funded the pilot line. The public record shows no manufacturer adopting it yet.

The Verdict

Simplicity Works has not been asked for comment for this article. It is based entirely on company statements, EU project data and Spanish register information, linked throughout.