Footwear inventions make Time’s 2021 cut
17/11/2021
To curate the final selection, each contender was evaluated against several factors, including: originality, creativity, efficacy, ambition and impact.
Several footwear innovations made the final cut, among them the Nike Go Flyease sneaker (pictured) for accessibility, Clove sneakers for design and Rothy’s driving loafer for style. The Allbirds-Adidas Futurecraft.Footprint shoe received a special mention.
Nike’s hands-free Go Flyease sneaker design is intended to support those with visible or invisible disabilities to put on their shoes independently. It features a bi-stable hinge for security, whether open or closed, as well as a midsole rubber tensioner and a kickstand heel (essentially a piece of rubber on the heel, which facilities an easier ‘kick’ off the foot).
Clove, meanwhile, describes itself as putting the needs of medical professionals first. Centred on better accommodating the wear requirements of healthcare workers, who are often on their feet for numerous hours each day, the brand emphasises comfort, fluid resistance and ease of cleaning in its footwear. Each slip-on sneaker also has an Ortholite insert to help ward off odour and bacteria, plus grippy rubber outsoles.
Rothy’s release of its driving loafer (alongside a sneaker style) earlier this year marked the first time the San Francisco-based brand had ventured into men’s footwear. The machine-washable loafers feature a canvas-like knit upper made from recycled plastic bottles, insoles made from 20% “plant-based” polyurethane and outsoles primarily made from 31% natural rubber and 23% “natural minerals”.
Image: Nike.
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