‘CROCS’ has become a national item over the years. Released in the United States in 2002, these are sandals or slippers designed for outdoor or water activities in the summer. The so-called ‘American version of rubber shoes’ have been the number one bestseller in the shoes and accessories category on Amazon for several years. In particular, in the medical field, which is a high-intensity work occupation, young doctors and nurses wear Crocs as work shoes, and they are considered a ‘favorite item.’ Contrary to this popularity, the medical community is negative about wearing Crocs. This is because they are unsuitable as shoes to wear all day because they pose a threat to foot health, such as fixation of ankles, toenail injuries, skin peeling, and deformation of toe and foot shape (hallux valgus, etc.).
Dr. Alex Kor, a foot health specialist at Johns Hopkins Hospital in the United States, said, “There are many patients who come to us complaining of pain in the heel and arch of the foot while wearing Crocs.” He added, “Because the feet bend easily, “You have no choice but to overdo it, so you should refrain from wearing it for more than 10 hours,” he argued. In particular, he pointed out, “The most important part of a shoe is the ‘shank’ that connects the heel and toe. The sole of Crocs folds easily, so the more you wear it, the more pain you feel.” The sole (shank) is called the ‘waist’ in official shoe terminology and refers to the concave part of the sole.
Medical shoes that solve and complement the foot health problems faced by Crocs were developed by a domestic material technology startup. The main character is 'VLOMFY', an eco-friendly medical shoe made with biomass material and priced in the 70,000 won range, developed by SOFNT Inc. (CEO Han Seol-ah), a technology startup in the field of functional nanomembrane composite materials and medical clothing and shoes. . This is a medical series following the 2021 functional medical uniform ‘ATVLO’, which further enhanced antibacterial properties, sweat absorption, convenience, and comfort. The development of medical shoes began as part of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s ‘Design Innovation Capacity Strengthening Project’. SoapNT handles design, branding, and marketing, Busan-based shoe parts manufacturer YC Tech Co., Ltd. (CEO Soo-kwan Park) handles material development and manufacturing, and Professor Han Seung-jin's team from the Department of Sports and Outdoor Studies at Eulji University conducts testing and verification. It is a fruition.
Emphasis on ergonomic design and design The sophisticated design makes them useful as everyday shoes, such as camping and trekking, in addition to work shoes.
The core of the development focused on design as a solution to solve problems such as threats to foot health and contamination from foreign substances in existing shoes or slippers. First, to secure the foot when worn and prevent skin chafing, the back stay was raised and a heel strap was attached. The position and angle of the heel strap were determined based on average bone placement studies and wearability tests. It is designed to reduce discomfort such as blisters or friction on the heel bone.
There are triangle-shaped ventilation holes on both sides of the shoe. This is to prevent contamination inside the shoe and protect the instep in case contaminants fall on the instep, in addition to providing smooth ventilation and ventilation.
The area where VLOMFY’s most ergonomic design is demonstrated is the ‘groove’ on the left and right sides of the instep. It is designed with various thicknesses to fit the toes and foot bones so that the foot can move flexibly when bent. At the same time, for the same reason as the previous change in the location of the ventilation hole, it was designed to allow blood or other liquid substances to flow through the grooves to both sides of the shoe during the surgical process, preventing contamination and unsanitary conditions inside the shoe.
The sole is designed with a unique pattern to prevent slipperiness to increase friction, and EVA polymer is used instead of rubber. VLOMFY is a biomass-based polymer containing about 40% of corn, potatoes (bioplastics), and seashells (bio-mass) applied to EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer), the main material for slippers and shoes.
‘Medical total wear business from medical clothing to shoes’
Representative Han said SOFNT Inc. The plan is to target the domestic and overseas medical markets with a medical total wear business that encompasses the main business, including medical shoes, in addition to the medical clothing business. The goal is to increase synergy by targeting the niche market of medical shoes, which has relatively few developments or products compared to medical uniforms such as medical uniforms and export uniforms. In addition, we plan to expand its versatility by making it suitable for camping, trekking, etc. in addition to medical use.
In addition, the company is expanding its commercialization to the field of medical filters and medical devices (wound dressing, small-diameter artificial blood vessels, etc.) by applying the company's original technology for functional nanomembrane composite materials.
Reporter Seongjun Kim tinnews@tinnews.co.kr
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