Fashion Meets Function

September’s PoS Keynote Topic “Fashion Meets Function” deals with the broad field of functional materials. The sessions will address materials offering microclimate comfort, which are windproof and waterproof, yet breathable and temperature-regulating, cushioning materials in soles or inlay soles, microbicidal finishing, new construction methods etc., etc., etc.…

These materials fulfil a function, they ensure certain properties, they have a significant effect which becomes immediately apparent on comparison with “normal” footwear; in brief, they endow a product with a certain distinctive feature that will frequently suffice to tip the scales in favour of a purchase. Functional materials are therefore in demand for many types of shoes:

• for sports and outdoor shoes

• for children’s shoes

• for winter shoes

• for work and safety shoes

• for comfort shoes

• in the orthopaedic sector

What amateur athlete will not be interested in the tests performed on running shoes by consumer magazines? Won’t parents prefer to buy winter shoes guaranteed to protect their offspring from getting wet feet but are not simple rubber boots? Why do consumers elect to trust leading brands in the case of sports shoes – perhaps because those manufacturers are innovative and their innovations frequently make use of new functional materials and/or new construction methods? Function is readily communicated, function captures the consumer’s attention and awakens the desire to treat oneself to the comfort promised.

Let’s go back in time just 30 years – we have made great progress in comfort and performance in comparison with the shoes of that era. The perfect shoe, which best fulfils all expected demands in use and satisfies stringent design criteria while offering optimum comfort in wear, may already exist. If it does, then it will probably owe its existence to the functional materials used in its production.

Yet even today some wishes still remain unfulfilled: When can we expect a shoe that automatically adapts to the foot of the wearer? When can we expect a shoe that we never need to shine? Or one that shrinks in size when packed in a suitcase? Or one that isn’t classified as hazardous waste?

On the 29th and 30th of September lectures and workshops offered throughout the duration of PoS will provide ample opportunity to delve deep into the multifacetted topic of functional materials.

We look forward seeing you at PoS!