Australian boot brand Blundstone has moved to tackle a new market, with a debut line of school shoes to launch this month.
The Australian owned boot making company was established in 1870 in Hobart, Tasmania, and has sold more than 1.5 million pairs of work boots in over 30 countries around the world every year since inception.
Now, as the brand moves to claim a larger share of the footwear market, Blundstone has launched its first ever line of school shoes, using similar technology to that used in its original work footwear ranges.
The shoes feature Blundstone's trademark GripIt sole, which complies under the Australian safety standards for slip resistance, in addition to a polyurethane midsole and rubber outsole which make the designs more durable.
Blundstone CEO Steve Gunn said the use of this technology will also see Blundstone produce the first Australian school shoes to claim slip resistance.
“Any parent knows that children’s school shoes can be subjected to just as much rough treatment as a work site,” he said.
“We saw an opportunity to take the lessons we’ve learnt in constructing work boots into the school yard, because we understand how important quality footwear is to nurture and protect growing feet.”
Gunn said Blundstone is also the first footwear company in Australia to use Poron Xrd – an impact absorption material – in footbed material, which provides the wearer with underfoot shock protection.
“Blundstone have made a long term commitment to investing in innovative practice and technology in a search to provide people with better quality footwear to do day to day tasks,” he said.
“We’re proud to now bring this technology and innovation to school shoes.”