Footwear Insight

24 • Footwear Insight ~ July/August 2019 footwearinsight.com Material Matters By Jennifer Ernst Beaudry T he desire to make shoes faster, lighter, more durable, more cushioned or just plain more comfortable has driven some of the biggest franchises in the footwear world. (After all, where would Nike be without Air?) But as consumers look to simplify their wardrobes and pare back on specialized kicks, it's technologies that offer function with fashion — or vice versa — that have been attracting heat. Even in the performance-obsessed outdoor world, there's a renewed interest in materials that get the job done in the harshest conditions but that quietly make life better for the wearer while running errands or walking to work, too. Here, exciting new material stories — look for them soon on the trail, or at a tavern, near you. Spring Heat The temperature-regulating properties of wool have made it a staple in cold- weather footwear: Cozy shearling linings, felted slippers and warm plaid fabrics are classics for a reason. But this season, more and more footwear brands are following the lead of apparel specialists (and casual-world trendsetters like Allbirds) and bringing wool into spring styles for the same temperature- modulating reasons. Irvine, CA-based OluKai is making wool the focus in its $110 Pehuea Li sneaker, and Vancouver, BC-based Sole is following up its fall Jasper Wool Eco Chukka (created in conjunction with sustainable apparel label United By Blue) with the $85 Jasper Eco Flip, which features ethically sourced merino wool and recycled PET in the engineered mesh strap. F o r n a t u r a l m o v e m e n t s p e c i a l i s t V i v o b a r e f o o t , a p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h Woolmark for spring '20 is critical to its commitment to looking for materials that are either biological, recycled or natural. To that end, it worked with Woolmark to put the material (along with Tencel and leathers from Leather Working Group Gold-rated tanneries) in two of its classic styles, the Primus Knit ($180) and Magna Trail Leather ($220). "Merino wool's natural breathability and temperature regulation make it an excellent option for us when designing shoes that are comfortable all year- round," said Karla Peckett, creative director, Sole and ReCork. "It's also soft to the touch, making it perfect for the uppers of barefoot-friendly shoes and sandal straps. Most people associate wool with heavy, warm clothes, but when used in a light, flexible knit, it provides a naturally sustainable, versatile material that can keep you more comfortable than a synthetic equivalent. More and more it's becoming recognized as the comfortable, sustainable material it is." Flash Forward Color the climbing world ready: At Outdoor Retailer, Italian outsoling master Vibram debuted its newest compound, XS Flash 2. It's sticky, stable — and oh, yeah: It comes in colors other than black. The new material is nonmarking and designed to maintain its properties even in cold weather, but the company is betting that ability to play with different hues on the outsole will make XS Flash 2 a compelling DESIGN TRENDS Sanuk Chiba Journey Vivobarefoot Primus Knit Wool The Hottest Looks Have Performance to Spare — and Relevance Off the Trail.

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