Last week at STRIDE 2026, there was something that kept repeating itself at our stand.

Looks.
Silent reading.
And, almost always afterward, a conversation.
The reason was simple.
Our team was wearing a hoodie with a direct message:
“EVERY WASTED SAMPLE costs more than Icad”
It wasn’t a decorative claim.
It was a statement that many professionals in the sector understood instantly.
Because anyone who has worked in footwear development knows what a physical sample that doesn’t reach a successful outcome implies: lost time, raw material costs, energy consumption, waste generation, adjustments, new iterations… and ultimately, repeating the process.

A team supporting the evolution of the sector
In this context, Red21 participated in STRIDE 2026 alongside Inescop, strengthening a key collaboration that connects technological development with its real application in the industry.
From Red21, Antonio Miralles, Executive Director, and Eduardo Barbero, Application Engineer, attended. Alongside us, representing Inescop, were Eduardo Calabuig, Director, and Vicente López, Head of CAD. A team that combines technical knowledge and market vision, supporting companies and professionals in adopting new digital workflows with Icad.
This joint presence ensured that every conversation went beyond ideas and could be translated into concrete solutions, combining practical experience with a strong technological foundation.

A change that is already underway
Throughout STRIDE 2026, we have seen how the digitalization of footwear development is no longer a vision of the future, but a real present-day necessity.
More and more companies are aware that traditional methods, based on multiple physical samples and repetitive cycles, generate inefficiencies that are difficult to sustain:
Development timelines become longer
Costs increase
Resources are wasted
In contrast, digital workflows make it possible to move toward a much more agile, precise, and controlled model from the earliest stages of design.
Less rework
Less material consumption
Less dependence on physical prototyping
More control at every stage of development

STRIDE as a meeting point
Beyond technology, STRIDE 2026 has been a space to listen and share.
Designers, technicians, and development managers aligned in the same direction: the need to evolve processes in order to remain competitive in an increasingly demanding environment.
The interest in Icad solutions that integrate 3D design, technical pattern making, and digital validation confirms that the sector is moving toward more connected and efficient models.

We keep moving forward
Red21’s participation in STRIDE 2026 reinforces our commitment to the global digital transformation of the footwear industry.
We continue working alongside companies and professionals to help them optimize processes, reduce costs, and develop products in a smarter, more efficient, and more sustainable way.
Because the future of footwear lies in making better decisions from the very beginning.