The secret behind the holed sole
Recently, when walking around town, you often see people wearing shoes with large holes in the outsole. Some people wear them with casual fashion, and some with business style. What on earth are those shoes with holes in them? I'm sure many of you have wondered that. If you have a hobby like running, you may have been even more curious and have looked into it.
On's products are shoes with a clean and sophisticated design and a light impression characterized by a sole with holes. On is popular not only for town use but also among professional athletes. Let's explore what On is all about.
On is a sports brand founded in Switzerland in 2010 by Caspar Coppetti, Olivier Bernhard and David Allemann.
One of the founders, Olivier Bernhard, was a professional triathlete and duathlete before founding the company. He had participated in races since he was a child, held numerous records, and even became a world champion. He loved running. However, he was plagued by injuries and no longer felt the joy of running. So he approached a major sports manufacturer to see if he could create a new type of running shoe, and asked if he could work with them on the development, but they said no. So he decided to make the shoes himself. And that's how "On" was born.
When Olivier was thinking of ideas for making shoes, he noticed a rubber hose used for watering gardens. He cut the rubber hose into rings, glued it to a shoe, and tested it, which gave him an unprecedented "sensation." The rubber hose he glued down came off immediately after a 15m test run, but when he took this interesting sensation to a university research facility to have it examined, he found that it was scientifically sound. This became the origin of On's distinctive perforated sole.
All current shoes are equipped with On's patented innovative technology, CloudTec®, inspired by the feeling of a rubber hose. This technology flexibly adapts to each individual's physique and walking/running style, so you can wear them for long periods of time without getting tired, making them very comfortable. The "soft landing" and "powerful kick-off" provide a lighter feel than you've ever felt before.
And the little thing on the top right of the logo is actually a switch. The logo also contains the meaning of turning on the switch for fun.
On aims to create products that are fossil fuel-free and circular, and is working on environmental issues from various perspectives, such as developing a new material called CleanCloud™ made from carbon emissions, using recyclable materials, and running a shoe subscription service. If you pick up a pair of shoes after learning about these efforts, it will give you an opportunity to think about the environment and make them even more comfortable to wear.
On is a brand to watch in the future. We plan to continue featuring On in future articles, so stay tuned.
