Comfort from within. That’s the way entrepreneur Brad Sunness, founder of Honey Soles, a line of comfort-driven cork insoles launching on Kickstarter today, is approaching the footwear-accessories market.
The idea came about when Sunness and his brother-in-law were shopping for boat shoes. The two agreed that it was difficult to comfortably walk long distances in the barefoot style without the cushioning of socks. Sunness soon discovered that the problem was common among his friends, who also complained of sweaty feet.
Sunness took on the task of finding insoles to tackle these woes, but came up empty-handed. With the help of partners Matt Chin and Gaz Brown, who have over 20 years of experience designing consumer products for major companies, the trio developed an insole that features a top layer of cork, a naturally anti-fungal material that helps wick away perspiration. Below that is a layer of open-cell proprietary foam designed to absorb any excess vapor inside the shoe. There’s also a thin layer of shock-absorbing foam for added support. To maximize the comfort factor, the entire insole is contoured, helping it mold to the shape of the wearer’s foot over time.
The insoles are available in men’s and women’s sizes and can be trimmed to fit. To get the project off the ground, the company is seeking $10,000 in Kickstarter funding, with insoles available for early pledgers at $23 a pair and the remainder priced at $27. Sunness says the insoles will retail for $30 on Honeysoles.com in December.
