First assignment of group n° 073
Resources used by the team[modifier | modifier le wikicode]
First description of our project[modifier | modifier le wikicode]
First description of our project's idea
THE LONG LASTING, AND ADAPTABLE SHOE
1. What Problem do you want to solve ?
We would like to solve the problem of lack of basic materials needs for people in need. We started from this point: poor people (for now we are thinking about people in African/Asian countries) struggle a lot to make both ends meet and can’t afford clothes or shoes, etc. For clothes there are a lot of associations and markets so they can manage to get dressed properly, with the minimum at least. However, shoes are still quite expensive. Having one pair is an important cost for the poorest, even a luxury. That’s why many people will use destroyed shoes at any occasion, which doesn’t help. Knowing the place they live (quality of streets, sand, mountains, humidity, etc.); we notice the shoes get destroyed quite fast. Still, a lack of shoes could lead to health risks, and even social isolation.
- For kids : just like kids when they are going to school without descents shoes, they can be mocked by others
- For adults: having a pair a shoe help them be considered differently, rebuild some self-esteem, prevent them for diseases, etc.
2. Why does this problem exist?
This problem is an issue resulting from the fact that in developing countries most of the population cannot always afford what we ( western countries citizens) consider as normal and basic. Indeed, their main preoccupations are to provide for their physiological needs. So the main reasons are :
- The lack of actions from the governments in order to distribute wealth increases the unequality in southern countries, digging a gap between rich et poor people within the countries.
- Numerous assocations are present are try to provide in these countries, but mainly on clothing.
- Getting decent/new shoes is important, but can be considered as secondary in a family’s sparing budget.
3. What breakthrough are you commited to creating?
Thus, as people cannot buy different pairs of shoes (city shoes, sandals, baskets…) because of the lack of money, the idea would be to create a special affordable shoe (ideally with sustainable components) that can be used in different situations. This would be a “cross country” shoe:
- Resistible, we already have an idea of which kind organizations, companies, could help us with the resistible part
- Adjustable/transformable, different pairs for different situations. For example children going to school ( mostly in uniforms in Africa for example), could have decent shoes, when they play with their friends, have a long road to do, the shoe could be turned into a pair of sneakers for safety and comfort, when they are at home it could be open as sandals, etc. We can about numerous combinations for one pair.
We made a lot of researches and noticed that there are shoes that can grow for kids, shoes resistible to one specific weather for example, but nothing like what we are aiming to create. A shoe that could be “one in three or four” and long lasting depending on the possibilities the experts will give us, is completely new and could really be a huge change in many people’s life, helping reduce costs of buying different shoes.
As for the raw material, we are thinking about using a “Popfroam”, which is a material extremely resistible, water proof and that can resist in a demanding environment.
Potential experts already identified
In order to achieve this project, we will need financial support, but also from engineer and several experts, in order to see if our project is conductible, and mostly learn about the “How’s”.
• The first criteria we will need an expert for is the design and concept of the shoe. The question here is to know HOW we can manage to create different pairs in one, adaptable for any situations and surface.
• The second criteria as much important as the first one, is the comfort and support of the shoe for users. Defining this will also help us know how many possibilities we can integrate to the shoe, without creating a discomfort.
• The third criteria we defined is to find a sustainable and long lasting material to build the product.
Finally, all these criterias are gathered to create an AFFORDABLE PRODUCT that can reach a large population. Here is a list ( yet non exhaustive) of several experts we will need and that might be willing to help us define and go through our project.
- A Chiropodist - Florence VAN BEVEREN, Lille Her role will be to help us know what we must absolutely take into account for the creation of the shoe, in ordrer to garantee safety and a healthy standing or disposition of the foot in it.
- An Ingeener: We thought about getting in touch we several students and young professionnals in the sector of textile. ENCAIT, School for engineer textile, Roubaix Students in Master « master matériaux et procédés textiles », Lille 1
- Graphist/Stylist: Their help will be important for the design of the shoe. Elodie ROGER, Lille Perrine SARASVATI, Paris
- Shoe Manufacturer/Shoe Maker: We intend to work with them in order to know what are the possibilities of production of such a shoe. Edouard TOSTAIN, Lille Shoe maker Fabricant (eline) Bekina France, Shoe manufacturer, Lille
- Other help:
- ENACTUS, Organisation specialized in social and sustainable projcts that could help us to evaluate the feasability of our project, get in touch with professionnals who could endorse us, etc.
- Oneworld play project: This organization created an ultra-durable shoe, allowing kids in poor countries and even further to play without worrying about the ball getting used. Their technology could be a grat asset in the conception of our shoe. Tey are the one who inspired us with the Pofroam, given that that’s what they use for their balls.
