With the goal of combining its passion for 3D Printing and Footwear, an Australian-based company named Retraction Footwear develops customizable 3D Printed thongs.
First, with its sunny climate, it should be noted that Australia is a country where its inhabitants love thongs. The only thing is that such product is not the widely made in the country. The team at Retraction Footwear therefore wanted to produce a 100% made in Australia pair of flip flops that would be environmental-friendly and comfortable.
Using premium USA made flexible filaments & FDM technology, they have been able to make the thongs as soft and flexible as possible.
Unlike traditional thongs that are made from a flat slab of foam which provides very little support, Retraction Footwear tongs integrate thick heel cushioning along with customisable arch support in its thongs.
“In a traditional pair of thongs, we’ve been caught out by unexpected shower of rain and now we’re on a smooth surface such as tiles or polished concrete and we’re feeling decidedly unstable. It happens because the foam sole readily absorbs water and each step causes the water to be squeezed out and an aquaplaning effect results, removing the friction between us and the ground that we normally rely upon. This is NOT an issue in Retraction Footwear Thongs. They are not made using foam so they behave more like a pair of regular shoes in the wet rather than traditional thongs. Retraction Footwear Thongs also incorporate tread to increase your traction even further”, said the company.
Even though the customization of the amount of infill still needs to be improved, Retraction Footwear’s thongs are already ready to withstand the roads of Australia.
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