UK brand Term Footwear, which designs, manufactures and sells school shoes, has launched a major campaign to create the next generation of kids’ shoes: Sole Buddy. The new Sole Buddy range was originally due to launch just before the UK lockdown. Until this week, plans for the range had been on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, with children soon heading back to the classroom, Term Footwear is turning to a Kickstarter campaign to raise £10,000 to get the first production of the school shoes made and sold. “We were all ready to go, then schools closed and so did our retailers,” says brand co-owner, Sharon New. “Overnight we went from exciting times to nothing.

“We quickly decided to make use of this downtime and appeal directly to our customers to back us with a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. We have designed the campaign to make the new Sole Buddy range come to life and hope people will like the shoes and back us.”

Through Kickstarter, backers can pledge for Sole Buddy shoes to be delivered from September. Payment is only taken from backers once the campaign has been successful on 18 June.  The campaign also allows people to donate shoes to children in need or specific children of frontline keyworkers.

New continues: “We just want people to go and have a look at the campaign and how awesome our shoes are. We have worked with some of the best designers in the shoe world to create this range. We are so proud and excited for people to see them. Kids will always need shoes, especially after their feet have grown in lockdown. These shoes are very special and from only £30 per pair with our early bird offers.”

 

 

The Sole Buddy range

With children wearing their school shoes more than any other footwear, Sole Buddy aims to improve the foot health of the nation’s children. It does this through shoes that are correctly fitted to stop damage or any malformation occurring. Designed in Britain to develop young feet from the very first day at school, Sole Buddy shoes are re-building school shoes from the sole up.

Special bio-mechanical design features assist a child’s foot to develop naturally during the life of the shoe. Highlights include the use of lightweight rubber with an open cell structure containing more air than standard rubber. This creates natural bounce, which in turn helps reduce fatigue and long-term joint health problems.

A crucial function of the foot is to aid balance and toes are a key aspect of this. Sole Buddy shoes are designed to flex naturally with the toes and joints as they move. For instance, soles engineered with flex grooves that allow for natural foot movement; high-quality and supple leather that increases flexibility; and no seams or overlays in the flex point for uninhibited movement.

 

 

As children’s feet grow very quickly at school age, Sole Buddy shoes are also designed with 12mm of built-in growing room.

This ensures a child’s feet have the space to develop naturally during the life of the shoe. Additionally, rubberised toe and heel protection increases the longevity of the shoes whilst allowing children to be active.

An anatomical foot-shaped last (form) ensures the shoes maintain a natural shape. Extra comfort is added through soft padding around the heel, which also reduces slip when the child walks or runs. Meanwhile, Purefit TM engineered foam insoles offer long-lasting foot comfort whilst the soft, supple leather is pliable on young feet.

Sole Buddy shoes use a polyester mesh made from 50% recycled water bottles. The woven material is both breathable and moisture-wicking. Plus, a special antimicrobial treatment keeps feet clean and dry. Finally, each pair of Sole Buddy shoes is fitted via Term Footwear’s downloadable Sole Buddy fitting gauge.

To access the Kickstarter campaign, please click here. To help find the faces of the campaign, there is a special video to accompany the launch. For further information on Term Footwear, please click here.