The Next Nature Sneaker Series

It has already been four years since we launched our bioengineered sneaker collection Rayfish Footwear. Therefore we present for the real sneaker heads amongst us, six new futuristic pieces of footwear to find out how you will walk into the future.

Lacing for dummy’s - Nike HyperAdapt 1.0

Say goodbye to your primary school shoe lacing diploma with Nike's HyperAdapt 1.0. Remember the iconic scene from Back to the Future II, where you saw a pair of self-lacing shoes? Nike had launched similar sneakers before, though none of them was able to do the magic lacing trick. After more than two decades of designing, the self-lacing shoe is a fact. With one single push on the button the power lacing starts, creating the ultimate fit for every foot.

Walking on pineapples - Piñatex

Designer Carmen Hijosa found herself indecisive. On the one hand she enjoyed working with leather, whereas on the other she couldn’t cope with the environmental impact of the material. Thus she started a material research to develop a more sustainable substitute, and found her solution in pineapple leaves. The long fibers of the leaves are converted into a new textile called Piñatex. The discovery of this bio leather did not go unnoticed as Puma, as well as Camper have already developed their first prototypes.

Becoming a walking battery - Instep Nanopower

Did you ever consider the amount of energy your soles generate while walking? Probably not, so the developers of InStep NanoPower did. Their shoe contains a special sole that harvests power from every step you make. And guess what, the electrical energy is strong enough to power your mobile devices, like your smartphone or tablet. Imagine the cut down on your energy bill, having your hyperactive four-year-old cousin wearing them daily.

Buying your sense of direction - Lechal Haptic Footwear

It is always fun to change your running track every once in a while. Though you might end up being lost, checking the location on your phone constantly. With Lechal shoes you will never lose track again. Before you leave home, you simply map out your route and while running the shoes tell you where to go. Vibrations in the left sole tell you to take the left corner and your right foot will be addressed to take a turn right. This technique was initially developed for visually impaired people, but the developers found that almost anyone could use an extra navigation tool.

Designing for eight legs - Futurecraft Biofabric

Instead of selling all time classics, Adidas produces a biodegradable reducement of your own global footprint. In collaboration with the German company AMSilk, they launched the Futurecraft Biofabric. These running shoes are made out of bioengineered spider silk, taking the strength of spiderswebs as their inspiration - making sure not one spider was involved during the production process. However, Adidas renamed their spider silk into biosteel; perhaps to overcome the arachnephobics amongst us.

When feet replace the mind - Smart Shoe 001

With the purchase of a pair of Smart Shoes 001, you might end up confused whether it's a smartphone or a shoe. These sneakers are equipped with various technological features; from self-lacing to a build-in pedometer. It also tells you how much calories you burnt, and if that's not enough, the soles have a build in heating system. By way of a bluetooth connection you can change the settings of the shoes in one single app, which also records the statistics on your health. You could say the only disadvantage of these sneakers is that you still have to walk them yourself.

Cover image: Coroflot