08 March 2008

The other day I picked up a new pair of shoes (Keen: Austin's) and I love them more every day. Not because they're breaking in. But because they are innovative and well made.

Keen isn't breaking new ground like Birkenstock did in the 70's and Crocks did in 2003 with a complete rethink of what a shoe looks like and is made of.

The first shoe Keen designed (the Newport) did try to combine a sandal and a shoe, but the majority of their shoes look pretty normal.

Innovation: Keen made the intentional decision to create comfort through effective design. The majority of their shoes have a form fitting heel and midsection but a generous amount of room for the toes - making for a very comfortable fit.

They also came up with a revolutionary concept: socks (in this case 'sox') that are made for specific feet (in other words: a left foot sock and a right foot sock). I haven't test driven these yet but hope to soon.

These innovations along with a strict corporate responsibility policy and care for the environment wrap this company up into a nice little package.

I'm in...