Former Nike and Adidas Executives to Open Sustainable Footwear and Apparel Hub

"Made in Old Town" is a transformative initiative focused on revitalizing Portland's historic Old Town district, bringing sustainable manufacturing to the area. With a budget of $125 million, the project aims to create an innovation hub for footwear and apparel production, leveraging cutting-edge technologies like 3D printing to enable local, environmentally friendly manufacturing. The development spans nine buildings, featuring workspaces for designers, testing labs, and facilities for small-batch production, and includes the Footwear and Apparel Manufacturing Innovation (FAMI) hub. This hub, anchored by Hilos—a local 3D footwear production platform—seeks to demonstrate that manufacturing can thrive in urban centers while supporting sustainable, community-based redevelopment.

Backed by major industry figures like former Nike sustainability head Noel Kinder and ex-Adidas brand president Eric Liedtke, the initiative combines sustainable design with efficient sample-making to support local and national brands. This proximity to consumers and the reduction in overseas logistics promise not only faster innovation but also significant reductions in the environmental impact typical of traditional production models. This project also aims to support local job creation and affordable housing, making it a holistic approach to neighborhood revitalization and manufacturing reshoring in the United States.

For more details on the Made in Old Town project, you can explore their official site [here](5).