ABBY TORRES




PROJECTS:

Experiential design:

Solaris


Softgoods: Sprout

Consumer electronics:
Roto
Brezze
Scoot

Set design & Art dept. experience Concept art
Coop experiences


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abbytorresdesign@gmail.com


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SPROUT

Project brief:

Design a shoe that grows with the child, combating overconsumption, supporting heallthy foot growth.






Users

Child & Parents
 The child’s comfort and foot health are directly affected, while parents are impacted by needing to buy new shoes as their child outgrows them.







Research


Overconsumption

The footwear industry is responsible for 1.4% of global emissions.
Producing over 300 million shoes, 95% end up in landfills.
One shoe takes 25-1,000+ years to decompose.






“One of the most frustrating things about buying shoes for a child, is how quickly they will grow out of them. As a mum of three, it wasn’t the cost that frustrated me most, it was the waste.”


(How to tackle the waste crisis in kids’ footwear, By: ALISON MCALEAVY)






Pain points

Parents often purchase footwear a size too big for their children,
anticipating room for growth, but this can lead to various issues.


Overconsumption
Children quickly outgrow their shoes, leading to pairs being discarded. Painful
Discomfort and blisters from wearing ill-fitting. Tripping& stumbling
Ill fitting shoes can create tripping hazards for children, leading to falls.
Financial burden
Strain from frequent shoe purchases.






Market analysis

There are numerous child footwear brands, however only a handful offer adjustable sizing across sizing, with limited sustainible options.

Design Goals







How can we design a shoe for children begining to walk that addresses overconsumption while encouraging healthy growth?






Inspiration

Showcasing features and materials to be incorporated
into this new shoe design.


Ideation

Initial sketches exploring methods for size adjustment.




Concept refinement

Defining the aesthetics and form. Focusing on simplifying the touchpoints.
                                                                                                                  Sketched in Procreate 


3D exploration

Using clay, foam, elastic, and fabric testing the sizing systems, and functionality.





 








CAD development

The modeling process evolved through various iterations before reaching its final form.












Materials








Biomimicry 

Inspired by the structures and materials found in bull kelp.
PYRATEX®A biobased seacell fabrics are made with SEACELL a seaweed-based fiber. 









Key Features




Details 



    

Growing in action 





Colorways





abbytorresdesign@gmail.com
(937)269-2300
abbytorres.com