Look! These Shoes Can Literally Wrap Around Your Feet!

Vibram has come up with a way to ensure that shoes always fit the wearer perfectly. The new Furoshiki Shoes boast of literally wrapping around people’s feet.

Bored Panda cited that Vibram, an Italian shoe company, created a new way to solve the problem of shoes that fail to fit the user perfectly. Many of the models that try to settle the issue also cost a lot. Vibram, a shoemaker renowned for its military footwear, has created the Furoshiki Shoes, which will open up and wrap around the feet of users to provide the perfect fit.

Furoshiki are a traditional Japanese wrapping cloth used to transport various kinds of goods. The material was first used during the Edo period to carry clothes at public baths. Masaya Hashimoto is the creator and designer of Furoshiki Shoes. He made some adjustments to make the material highly durable. The shoes have no laces and wrap around the feet and fasten via Velcro. Vibram described the Furoshiki Shoes as the very first model with a wrapping sole. The footwear are currently available at the Japanese Vibram store for around $140. There are at least five colors available. Some of the featured models showed the violet, pearls, black, aqua and jeans colors.

RocketNews24 reported that wearing the Furoshiki Shoes required a simple three-step approach. First, the shoe is opened up so that the person can step onto the insole. Second, the two opposing panels are crossed over each other towards the back of the shoe to provide a secure and perfect fit. Finally, the ends of the panels are attached to the Velcro to hold the shoe in place.

Based on the shown images, the sole of the Furoshiki Shoes appear to be made of tough rubber, similar to the popular Five Fingers model by Vibram. There are rubber tendrils that go over the panels, creating a web-like network to provide the footwear with durability and flexibility. Based on the construction, the shoes appear to be strong enough to withstand daily walks and even outdoor activities. The shoes also feature a stylish pattern and two-toned design for aesthetic purposes. Overall, the Furoshiki Shoes are revolutionary and innovative. Similar designs will most likely surface in the following months.

RocketNews24 also stated that Vibram will be setting up a temporary pop-up store at the Snack Café Kaho in Harajuki from August 26 to 30, 2015. People in Tokyo can take a closer look at the engineering and appearance of the Furoshiki Shoes at the site.