While flip flops are pretty comfortable, a common problem is the flip flop blow-out, which occurs when the thong portion of the shoe becomes detached from the rest and your sandals become ruined as a result (or at least tricky to fix). An Australian company is looking to change this with their Interchangeable Thongs line. Willi Footwear created an ingeniously simple feature to the bottom of their shoes. Rather than fixing the thong portion with a standard circle, the Willi shows incorporate a boomerang shaped piece that works similarly to plastic clothing tags.
This offers a more secure fit and will prevent the dreaded flip flop blow-out from happening, meaning you get to enjoy your casual and comfortable footwear for longer.
Flip Flop Fixes
Willi Footwear Offers a Boomerang Solution For an Unfortunate Flip Flop Blow-OUt
Trend Themes
1. Interchangeable Thongs - The trend towards interchangeable thongs presents a significant disruptive innovation opportunity for companies to improve the durability and versatility of flip flops.
2. Alternative Fasteners - The trend towards alternative fasteners such as boomerang shaped plastic tags on flip flops presents a significant disruptive innovation opportunity for companies to create more secure and durable footwear.
3. Sustainable Footwear - The trend towards sustainable footwear presents a significant disruptive innovation opportunity for companies to incorporate eco-friendly materials into the production of flip flops.
Industry Implications
1. Footwear Manufacturing - The footwear manufacturing industry has an opportunity to incorporate innovative technologies that improve the durability and versatility of flip flops.
2. Retail - The retail industry has an opportunity to offer consumers a wider variety of sustainable and durable footwear options like those that use alternative fasteners and interchangeable thongs.
3. Material Science - The material science industry has an opportunity to develop eco-friendly materials to be used in the production of flip flops that are both durable and sustainable.