Featherweights

“The leg is akin to a pendulum. The greater the weight at the end of the pendulum, the more energy is required to swing it.”

David Epstein, The Sports Gene

In other words – the weight at the end of the leg has an effect on the entire body and its energy expenditure. More weight means more effort and thus higher oxygen usage.

When this weight is placed on our feet, more energy (oxygen) is consumed than when it is placed on our hips – the further away the weight is from our center of gravity, the “heavier” it becomes.

Less weight at the end of the leg consequently means less effort and therefore lower energy expenditure with every step. Our particularly flexible and sustainable materials provide unrestricted freedom of movement and the feeling of being barefoot. 

A very distinctive and innovative example is washi (Itoitex), which is made of 75% paper – weighing only 56–151 grams, the Tanuki models are among the lightest shoes in the world.