Voxel8 technology brings enhanced comfort to Hush Puppies footwear

Hush Puppies, the iconic Wolverine Worldwide brand, will commercialize Voxel8‘s digital manufacturing technology in unique midsoles that provide enhanced comfort, support and longevity.

“Hush Puppies is excited to build on our history of comfort innovation with the Voxel8 partnership. The brand invented casual 60+ years ago and we are committed to bringing a fresh, innovative approach to the brand as we look to ‘Reinvent Casual’ for the next 60 years,” noted Kate Pinkham, VP/GM of Hush Puppies.

The Hush Puppies brand has always inspired the casual lifestyle through optimism and fun and it has withstood the test of time by continuously seeking innovation in comfort and style for its loyal customers.  Collaborating with Voxel8 will further elevate comfort and inspire sustained optimism in its customers for a long time to come.

“Our printed lattice structures with precisely tuned mechanical properties are being used as inserts in midsoles to provide enhanced shock absorption,” commented Voxel8’s CTO and co-founder, Travis Busbee. “Moreover, we have measured no change in the shock absorption and four times less thickness change after 100,000 cycles, as compared to traditional foams. Our sustainable and scalable technology transforms how footwear is developed and produced, with shorter design cycle times and no-tooling manufacturing. Our software-driven digital manufacturing opens the door to cost-effective, customized designs in the future.”

Founded in 2014 from Harvard University, Voxel8 leverages more than a decade of research and 25+ patents on printing functional features on fabrics. Voxel8’s ActiveLab system offers a complete turnkey solution, including precision hardware, integrated software and advanced materials.

“Voxel8 technology is gaining global commercial traction in casual and athletic footwear, and Wolverine and Hush Puppies are valued partners on this journey. We are delighted to support new product innovation at Hush Puppies, ramping up production from our facility in Somerville MA and expanding to Asia for volume production,” added Friedrich von Gottberg, CEO of Voxel8.