Footwear designer Iguaneye will be launching a new range of ultra-minimalist sandals, 3D printed and customizable.

French start-up Iguaneye imitates footwear of the indigenous Amazonian people in order to create a new type of 3D printed sandal.

The company, based out of Porto, Portugal, offers a unique design with the potential to seriously compete with the flip-flop.

Founder and lead designer Olivier Taco explains that the inspiration for the design came from the indigenous Amazonian tribes, who would dip their naked feet into natural latex from trees. That’s also where the product’s name comes from — the “Jungle”.

This isn’t Iguaneye’s first venture into footwear. The company previously ran a successful Kickstarter campaign for its “Freshoe”, another minimalist shoe designed to feel like a second skin. Like its successor, the Freshoe was a one piece construction with an organic design — no glue, no seams.

Now, Taco has set out to design a shoe that is even more minimalist, for greater comfort and freedom, whilst still providing the sensation of walking barefoot.

All the while, the Jungle also overcomes many of the problems flip-flop wearers will be able to relate to. Taco explains:

“We put (flip-flops) on when we want to liberate our bodies — especially our feet — and once we have them on we can’t move, we can’t run. So I was looking for a product that would deliver as much aeration as possible and at the same time enough support to allow any type of movement.”

A 3D Printed Puzzle

The Jungle’s design consists of a thick sole that connects a heel hold to a rubber toe. The parts are 3D printed and assembled like pieces in a puzzle, making customization easy.

The sandal was designed using commercial 3D software Rhinoceros 3D. Following extensive prototype testing, the 3D prints were made by Inpact, a Portuguese 3D printing service. To create the Duraform Flex and TPU material prototypes, they used an SLS printer from 3D Systems.

Olivier adds:

“3D printing would offer many more possibilities for personalizing our products. Our future will obviously be linked with 3D printing. The dream will be to be able to print from renewable and even compostable material.”

Following a successful crowdfunding campaign, Jungles will be injection-molded for production. Olivier plans to partner with an industrial 3D printing company to produce the shoes. In addition, he may even invest in his own 3D printer to produce future models of the sandals.

The Iguaneye Jungle will be launched as part of an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign on December 7, 2017.

Source: B3dgeable