Furoshiki Shoes: feet ahead – product review
This is a product just made for me! Connections with Japan are writ large throughout this story but it has a happy ending. The shoes arrived, and they are made for active practicality and high fashion!
I was on a press trip to Okinawa, Japan. Unfortunately I had a non-sake related fall which resulted in a broken ankle. Yes, thank you for asking, I am recovering, but I still have a foot that changes size with use, weather, whim and cabin pressure. Life has been difficult from a podiatric perspective but the solution is here: Furoshiki shoes! So I can enjoy both comfort and style.
Furoshiki is a Japanese wrapping cloth. It is a deceptively simple piece of material which can be transformed with a few crafty folds into a multi-use and practical carrier for awkward-shaped articles, both large and small. Seventy-five years of experience is said to have gone into this unique and revolutionary Furoshiki shoe “wrapping sole” concept which draws inspiration from that ancient Japanese wrapping cloth.
Walking barefoot
In 1935, Vitale Bramani developed a sole capable of outstanding traction on a variety of surfaces. Using vulcanized rubber technology, he developed the Carrarmato design which remains one of the soles most used by mountain climbers. This Furoshiki shoe uses the same rubber, which is light and non-slip and gives the wearer the sense of walking barefoot! It’s quite liberating and feels rather naughty and bohemian!
The Furoshiki is an amazingly light shoe, although it fits like a second skin. The cloth element wraps the foot and attaches via Velcro at the back. They don’t rub, chafe or irritate and you don’t even have to have perfectly matching feet. They are soft and cosy and flexible, and the most important thing is, they look youthful and amazing.
The Furoshiki shoe is ideal for travellers. A pair folds down into the size of a modest sponge bag so just the job for the cabin on a short-haul flight. But many of my flights are long-haul and these shoes are indispensable. There is a tendency for feet to swell on long flights. These Furoshiki remain comfortable even on a 12-hour trip back to Japan!
However, these look like shoes for no-one but the most fashion conscious! They make even this less-than-sporty lady look like a probable Free Climber. They come in a selection of colours but all of them have the same high-quality sole for the best of grip. These are the perfect summer essential. I am impressed by both design and evident practicality.
To learn more visit Vibram here.
Read other articles about Japanese food, art and culture here
Product review by Chrissie Walker © 2018
