Outdoor Insight

Q&A W hen OrthoLite entered the market 25 years ago, insoles were con- sidered secondary to other technical footwear materials. Today OrthoLite's open-cell foam performance insoles are not only an integral component of athletic styles, but are increasingly featured in an array of footwear categories. Dan Legor joined the Amherst, MA-based firm three years ago, having built his career on the brand side including stints at Timberland, Rockport, and Ecco. Legor states, "I really enjoy being on the supplier side — seeing behind the curtain — and helping brands with development." Here, Legor fields five questions on industry trends and explains how a pair of running shoes may serve as garden compost in the future. How do comfort and performance come into play with OrthoLite insoles? "Comfort and performance link together at that very first point of con- tact users have when they step into a shoe. That initial 'aha' factor is criti- cal. At OrthoLite a lot of science and engineering goes into the insole to achieve a high level of comfort and performance, be that breathability, air flow, anti-microbial benefits to keep the insole fresh, as well as energy return properties and durability. These factors play a strong role in today's retail environment with so many shoes sold direct to consumer. A box shows up at your home from Amazon or Zappos, and the first thing you do is take out the shoe, it looks great, and you try it on. How does it feel? Your deci- sion is made on that immediate step-in factor. The component that has to pass the test is the insole. Because nowadays it is so simple to send the shoes back, that instant gratification has to happen right out of the box. Brands figure they will get higher return if we deliver on that comfort and performance promise. The insole plays a key role in that." Customization is a hot industry topic. What is OrthoLite doing to address this trend? "Having control over the supply chain is really critical. As a vertically integrated global supplier we create in-house, with our own team and our own chemists and work directly with brands. We sit with the brands' production team, designers, and developers and discuss their goals, trends and other important factors, and how to meet these demands through comfort, tech, durability and sustainability attributes. Innovation through collaboration achieves customization via specific formulations fine-tuned to the brands' product and footwear category whether that need is an insole that is firmer or softer, or higher density versus lesser density, and whether the shoe is for running or basketball. We have developed over 250 for- mulations and are always adding to our portfolio." Can you share an example of OrthoLite's collaborative approach? "A decade ago we collaborated with Timberland on its Earthkeepers pro- gram. Now move the clock forward 10 years, and we offered a significant sus- tainability upgrade without sacrificing performance and comfort. Timberland was using our EcoLT product with five percent recycled content. And over time we had upped the eco content to 11 percent by adding six percent castor oil, a bio oil. However, in the last year, we introduced our Hybrid insole that has 20 percent eco content which fits VF's corporate initiative that all products have 20 percent eco content by 2020. So here we are in 2019, able to shift from EcoLT to Hybrid, and keep it cost neutral! That's a pretty big deal." Where do you see emerging opportunities in the market? "Fashion is one area we are pursuing. We are adding European brands and also have a New York City rep focused on the fashion market. We see opportu- nity in what is known as the brown shoe business. These brands are coming to us more frequently as they are constantly looking for a point of differentiation. We are also working with small startups such as Taylor + Thomas, a women's brand out of LA known for sustainable luxury foot- wear. The company is super focused on materials and responsibly made product throughout the entire value chain. Again, because we are vertically integrated, we can not only educate brands new to the market on sustainable practices but also provide a line up of eco product." From a long-range perspective, what's on the horizon for OrthoLite? "When you look at sustainability today, you see the blue bucket for recycling, and the trash bucket, and now in more places, there is the green com- post bucket. The green bucket is the way to go when it comes to develop- ing products that don't go into the ocean or the landfill but break down organically. The hard focus now is the challenge of making materials that serve an immediate purpose but can also biodegrade at end of life. For example, I want my new $180 running shoes to perform and be comfortable from day one, but then when I'm done wearing them I want to be able to bring the shoes to the running shop where the shoes will get transported to a local compost facility. Six months later those shoes are now usable as compost in my garden. That's where I see future innovation." l –Emily Walzer Insole Innovation outdoorinsightmag.com 48 • Outdoor Insight • June 2019 OrthoLite's Marketing Director Dan Legor Believes the "Green Bucket" Is the Future. The Hybrid formulation blends 5% recycled rubber and 15% production waste foam for 20% eco-content for uncompromised performance with less impact on the planet. Dan Legor, director of marketing, OrthoLite.

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