When you’re a runner or a hiker, having the right footwear is crucial to prevent discomfort and injury. And this is one of the reasons that some prefer “barefoot” running shoes (fitted, sock-less footwear), but the problem here is of hygiene: a well-worn pair of sneakers stink! Three Over Seven, the New Zealand brother’s duo, decided to solve these issues using an apparently unlikely material-wool. Their consequential creation, aptly named Wool Runners, neither gets smelly after regular use, nor do they require socks.
Wool, an eco-friendly material wicks away sweat, controls odour, regulates temperature, is stain resistant, which is why it is a perfect material to create a shoe. Aswool wasn’t thought to be strong material for footwear, Three Over Seven paired up with textile experts at AgResearch to produce a fabric, and the resulting shoe is created with a double-layered wool knit, which is soft enough to wear against skin on the inside, and is dirt-resistant on the outside.
