Creating better footwear for your feet.

Using the intuitive design of traditional Japanese sandals or setta(sometimes known as geta), as well as using materials and a shape that doesn’t put a burden on your feet, we have created a specialised sandal that isn’t like any other sandal.

 

We’ve taken and developed a sandal that is still Japanese in heart but has evolved for modern day fashions.

 

The foot bed has been designed to help support the foot and sole, as well as having a sense of being well fit, while also having a layer of leather to make it feel nice to the touch on the sole.

 

We use the waste cork product that comes from when corks for bottles and so on are made. This helps in a multitude of ways, such as using biodegradable products that would normally be wasted and unused.

 

Setta are a type of zori (sandals with a strap that goes over and between the toes) that were developed and worn from before 1615 (the Edo Period in Japan). The sandals were created using woven bamboo, and had a bottom sole made from leather, to give it a slight waterproofing. Using this simple but functional design, we have decided to remake the setta as the Colsetta.

 

With traditional setta, the heel would actually hang over the edge of the sandal by about 1-3cm, and the strap would only slightly go over the toes, meaning they would be rather loose. The traditional setta would also not be different between left and right foot, also providing no cushioning.

With our Colsetta Sandal, we have created a sandal where the foot bed can hold the heel completely, giving a sense of stability for the foot. As well as this, the Colsetta is separated into left and right sandals, also improving the stability of the sandal when you wear them. The heel is about 1cm tall with an extra outer sole being provided by the world renowned Vibram from Italy, which will help even more to cushion the foot when you walk.

 

During the 1960s, the shape of the foot was researched and from there special cork and rubber foot beds were created. These foot beds were made to help support the arches of the foot, provide a more three dimensional support, cushioning each footfall, and had an end result of helping to protect the feet, especially the arches.

Cork is like foamed plastic in that it is porous and elastic, cushioning the impact when walking. Also it doesn’t let water through but is very breathable, meaning that in humid weather it doesn’t stick to the skin. The foot bed itself is covered in a soft cowhide leather that is pleasing to the touch. It helps also provide a holding effect to the foot when you walk.

The strap connected to the foot bed is also chosen carefully and made from leather.

It is made to feel soft on the skin but also give more grip on the foot as you walk.

 

In regards to the leather, there are many ways to tan the leather. In Japan there are over 300 leather workers, each with their own skills and methods and we have found a brilliant tanner to work with. The leather that we use comes from a tanner in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture. This leather is extremely durable, but also soft like lamb hide, meaning that it is perfect for what we want.

The outer sole is provided by the amazing Vibram Co in Italy, a world famous sole maker!

The soles we are using from them are originally soles made for walking up mountains, and have been in production since 1937. They are great for gripping, making them perfect to walk around in, and are a perfect substitute for the leather and nail soles of old. These soles are well known among mountain climbers and are highly reviewed. We hope that this will make the sandals light but durable as well as helping to cushion the impact of walking even more! With this outer sole, we have created a shoe that you may make you feel like you are walking on air!

①While normal setta feel like a pain to use and they normally hurt my feet after a while, the Colsetta were amazing and I couldn’t feel any kind of burden on my feet.

②The sandal strap felt soft on my feet, while the foot bed of the sandal was really supportive, making it feel like I was wearing a pair of trainers.

③I could see myself wearing these in many different situations, such as popping out to the shops or even if I’m wearing something that is rather Japanese in fashion such as a kimono. I like that I can do that with these sandals.

 

 

 

New Sizes for Western Backers!

For this project we have also updated our available sizes, in order to accommodate backers in the West! These sizes are the 276mm and 282mm long sizes as well as having extra mid range sizes (250mm and 256mm) to give a much wider range of sizes to choose from.

After wearing the Colsetta sandals we recommend wiping the top of the sole with a soft cloth to remove any sweat or dirt that may be found.

As the top of the foot bed is covered with leather, we recommend you don’t wear them in wet or rainy weather. This is because the water can have an impact on the leather.

 

Hello, I’m Maruyama from Maru Design Studio.

In 1998, I started Maru Design Studio, and then in 2015, we created the BAREFACE brand. This brand was created to focus on the design of Lifestyle goods and Miscellaneous goods, as well the manufacturing and sales of these goods.

The brand name BAREFACE, comes from our want to be completely transparent with our customers. With a BAREFACE product, you can expect not only high quality goods that have a high degree of functionality, but also something that will help you in your everyday life. We focus on the product all the way through its life cycle from design to production to exhibitions.

The foot bed of the Colsetta, is made from the cork waste material that occurs when creating champagne corks. This helps to bring us closer to our goals of reducing waste material during production, and also helps us in our aims to help with SDGs regarding reusability, and reducing the effect on the environment. Also by using natural cork for the foot bed, it helps to reduce the strain on the feet, as the cork is springy and softer than other materials, while also being incredibly durable. We are extremely happy to be able to mix this material with the traditional setta. We want to create footwear that is better for your feet. With those goals in mind, we want you to try out the Colsetta sandals for yourselves!

Each sandal is made by hand by professionals, and we hope that you can feel this when you wear them! They are a product of high quality Japanese craftsmanship and we are proud to present them as being Made In Japan.

 

As leather is a natural product, each foot bed will be different. This means that the images shown and the item you receive may be slightly different.

• The design or materials used in the making of the sandal may change during the project.

 

July 28th Project Launch

September 11th Project Ends

End of September Surveys Sent out

January Returns Prepared

March 2022 Returns start to arrive to backers