Let's Make Luxury Heels Vegan and Comfortable.

AI Quick Summary

It's well-known that high heels are uncomfortable. This is primarily due to the fact that, compared to flat shoes, where only about 20% of the weight is supported by the forefoot, high heels shift around 80% of the weight onto the front. This imbalance leads to pain and injuries, such as inflammation and hairline fractures.We have developed an innovative footbed design to better distribute weight, but we face challenges in finding a cost-effective and sustainable technology to produce it at an industrial scale.At present, 3D printing is not a viable option for us, as the materials we work with cannot be printed, and the technology is too expensive for mass production.We are now seeking a research partner to help us identify the right technology that will enable us to produce our footbed semi-industrially, using sustainable materials, and scale. Cheetah Stories is a Ticino-based startup on a mission to create comfortable and elegantly designed vegan high heels. At the heart of our innovation is a sophisticated, holistic approach to comfort, which includes the strategic positioning of the heel, the shape of the toe cap, and the integration of gel inserts in both the midsole and footbed. We have registered a provisional patent for this unique innovation in the US, and Footscan data has shown that our design outperforms any competing product currently available on the market.As we all know, high heels are uncomfortable, primarily because they shift about 80% of the body’s weight onto the forefoot. This imbalance, in contrast to flat shoes where only 20% of the weight is carried on the forefoot, leads to pain and injuries such as inflammation and hairline fractures. Our innovative design aims to better distribute this weight through a carefully crafted footbed and construction, providing improved comfort while still maintaining the elegance and style that high heels are known for.Currently, the production of our footbed is highly artisanal, with various components manually glued together to ensure quality. While this process allows us to maintain high standards, it also results in high production costs. Our goal is to semi-industrialize the manufacturing process without compromising the use of sustainable and breathable materials.To achieve this, we are applying for the Innovation Booster to experiment with a new approach. We envision injecting or printing footbed elements onto a GOTS-certified natural latex sole, but we are unsure of how this could be executed. Alternatively, we are open to exploring entirely different methods that could not only streamline production and increase standardisation but also provide the flexibility to offer custom-made soles for our customers. This is what we hope to explore with an innovation partner.Additionally, we are committed to building a traceable supply and manufacturing chain. Our goal is to implement a system that tracks each pair of shoes throughout the production process, enabling us to offer our customers a comprehensive "Cheetah Story" detailing the journey of their shoes from start to finish.

Project Idea Metadata

Project Idea Name: Let's Make Luxury Heels Vegan and Comfortable.
Date: 3/31/2025 10:28:38 AM
Administrators:

Project Idea Description

Cheetah Stories is a Ticino-based startup on a mission to create comfortable and elegantly designed vegan high heels. At the heart of our innovation is a sophisticated, holistic approach to comfort, which includes the strategic positioning of the heel, the shape of the toe cap, and the integration of gel inserts in both the midsole and footbed. We have registered a provisional patent for this unique innovation in the US, and Footscan data has shown that our design outperforms any competing product currently available on the market.

As we all know, high heels are uncomfortable, primarily because they shift about 80% of the body’s weight onto the forefoot. This imbalance, in contrast to flat shoes where only 20% of the weight is carried on the forefoot, leads to pain and injuries such as inflammation and hairline fractures. Our innovative design aims to better distribute this weight through a carefully crafted footbed and construction, providing improved comfort while still maintaining the elegance and style that high heels are known for.

Currently, the production of our footbed is highly artisanal, with various components manually glued together to ensure quality. While this process allows us to maintain high standards, it also results in high production costs. Our goal is to semi-industrialize the manufacturing process without compromising the use of sustainable and breathable materials.

To achieve this, we are applying for the Innovation Booster to experiment with a new approach. We envision injecting or printing footbed elements onto a GOTS-certified natural latex sole, but we are unsure of how this could be executed. Alternatively, we are open to exploring entirely different methods that could not only streamline production and increase standardisation but also provide the flexibility to offer custom-made soles for our customers. This is what we hope to explore with an innovation partner.

Additionally, we are committed to building a traceable supply and manufacturing chain. Our goal is to implement a system that tracks each pair of shoes throughout the production process, enabling us to offer our customers a comprehensive "Cheetah Story" detailing the journey of their shoes from start to finish.

We have developed an innovative footbed design to better distribute weight, but we face challenges in finding a cost-effective and sustainable technology to produce it at an industrial scale.

At present, 3D printing is not a viable option for us, as the materials we work with cannot be printed, and the technology is too expensive for mass production.

We are now seeking a research partner to help us identify the right technology that will enable us to produce our footbed semi-industrially, using sustainable materials, and scale.