The Steps of Innovation and Elegance

Zlín, January 23, 2023 – Current developments in the field of footwear construction and design, new technologies, material innovations, as well as outputs from scientific research projects. All of this can be seen at the exhibition titled "Steps of Innovation and Elegance" at the Footwear Museum in Zlín. The exhibition is organized by the Footwear Research Center (FRC), which is part of the University Institute (UI) of Tomas Bata University (UTB) in Zlín.

On display, you can find, for example, biodegradable footwear, 3D-knitted uppers, or zonal personalized footwear. They are made, among other things, from environmentally friendly bio-materials. Modern zero-waste technology is also applied in the processing and production of the upper part of the footwear, along with a specific system that allows immediate personalization and production of footwear of any type with specific functional requirements.

"The combination of the latest design trends and state-of-the-art materials is bringing a new style of footwear. We aim to connect talented designers with footwear companies to create unique designer footwear that emphasizes comfort, health, and customized production tailored to the customer," says the director of the Footwear Research Center, Dr. Tomas Saha.

The center collaborates, for example, with designer Oldřich Vojta, who designs footwear for the first lady and designer Zuzana Bahulova, among others. Their creations are also on display at the exhibition. Among them is the volleyball ball Handshake, whose design originated at the Footwear Research Center and recently won the Innovation of the Year 2023 award.

The FRC was established at Tomas Bata University in 2019. The main idea is to put Zlín back on the map as a footwear city and contribute to the popularization of this industry, also connecting new and promising students with footwear companies in the region.

In the technological field, the center focuses on the development and research of new materials for the footwear industry, especially in the area of 3D and 4D technologies, hi-tech materials, and smart innovations. All innovations correspond to the latest trends in the footwear industry with an eco-friendly emphasis on both the product and the production process.

The exhibition will run at the Zlín Footwear Museum in the 14th building of the former Svit complex until May 24.