Laces are out: Uncomfortable sneaker fastenings are a thing of the past

When it comes to your latest pair of kicks, the reality is that you want style, performance and function. But whether you are rocking those trainers to the gym or wearing them on your morning commute, one thing you don’t want is to trip on your laces. Now, it seems active footwear designers are realising this, and adapting their designs to incorporate consumers busy, fast-paced lives. From the Christopher Kane runway to the Adidas and Puma store fronts, the latest styles on show have adopted Velcro fastenings. But the lace isn’t completely over, it’s just adapted.

Here are three companies that are making laces easy and comfortable:

1. Hickies

Originating on Kickstarter, Hickies ended up raising 600% more than its original target. The idea? The no-tie shoelace replacement. Its memory fit technology, no-tie design and adjustable tightness are developed to aid efficient fastening. Hickies benefits both young and more mature consumers, check out the founders talking through their amazing design here.

2. Boa

The idea? Ditch laces and just turn a fastening instead.  The Boa design creates a technical fastening approach across all levels of footwear with a customised fit. Durability, lightness and speed are a few advantages of this technical evolution in lacing.

3. Xpand Shoelaces

Memory foam style laces might be a better way of describing them. Three years of design and development resulted in elastic zero memory flex laces which attach to a clip. Once clipped in, you can personalise the fit exactly the first time you wear your sneakers and then you never need to adjust it again, as it remembers. Pure comfort!

For the full Footwear Buzz report: Breaking Down Footwear Technology- with new designs, shapes, styles visit WGSN.

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