Press Release
Bronze A' Design Award in Baby, Kids' and Children's Products Design Goes to Tiny Steps Flex Shoes by Winner Medical Co., Ltd.
The international grand jury of the 2023 - 2024 A' Design Award & Competition recognizes Winner Medical Co., Ltd. for baby, kids' and children's products design
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 14, 2024 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Tiny Steps Flex Shoes by Winner Medical Co., Ltd. has been granted the Bronze A' Design Award in the Baby, Kids' and Children's Products Design category. The award was conferred within the 2023 - 2024 A' Design Award & Competition and was determined through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who assessed anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
What the Bronze A' Design Award Means
The Bronze A' Design Award is given to outstanding designs that showcase a high degree of creativity and practicality. It recognizes the dedication and skill of designers who produce work that stands out for its thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. These designs are acknowledged for their professional execution and potential to influence industry standards positively. Winning this award highlights the designer's ability to blend form and function effectively, offering solutions that enhance people's lives and wellbeing.
Regarding Tiny Steps Flex Shoes
Tiny Steps Flex is a pair of shoes designed for infants and toddlers moving from crawling to walking. The outsole uses bidirectional grips inspired by sheep hooves to improve ground grip and stability. A specialized arch between the balls of the big and small toes allows natural toe flexion. The upper is made of natural fiber and is light and elastic for free foot movement. A wide soft strap makes the shoes easy to put on and take off. The upper and outsole are stitched, so chemical adhesives are avoided. A wormwood insole with massage points adds antibacterial comfort.
About Winner Medical Co., Ltd.
With its headquarters located in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province of China, Winner Medical Co., Ltd. is a comprehensive health enterprise taking cotton as the core, which realizes the synergetic development of medication and consumption via three brands including Winner, Purcotton and PureH2B. Through continuous innovation and constant business expansion, Winner Medical Co., Ltd. has developed from a producer of medical consumables into a leader in the field of comprehensive health.
Award Record
This recognition makes Winner Medical Co., Ltd. a winner of 2 A' Design Awards. The awards span the editions from 2022 - 2023 to 2023 - 2024 of the A' Design Award & Competition.
About the A' Baby, Kids and Children's Products Design Award
The A' Baby Products Design Award is an international design competition recognizing good baby product designs by leading brands and designers worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to baby product designers, industrial designers, toy companies and children's product manufacturers from all countries. Entries typically include strollers, car seats, baby monitors, high chairs, baby bottles and pacifiers. Awarded baby products designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/baby-products
About A' Design Award & Competition
A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://designers.org/154716
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/154716
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!154716
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/335437
- Further Information from the Laureate: https://www.winnermedical.cn/
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Tiny Steps Flex Shoes
- Function
- Shoes
- Category
- Baby, Kids' and Children's Products Design
- Discipline
- Industrial Design
- Industry
- Kids
- Colors
- Dark Gray, Light Steel Blue, Light Slate Gray, Gainsboro and Light Gray
- Images
- 5
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Winner Medical Co., Ltd.
- Country
- China
- Recognition
- Bronze A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2023 - 2024
- Design ID
- #154716
Credits
- Team
- Junnan Xiao and Yujing Zhu
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- This pair of shoes is tailored for the vital transition from crawling to walking. The outsole, with bidirectional grips inspired by sheep hooves, bolsters stability. The specialized arch at the curved connection between the balls of small and big toes improves flexion flexibility. This is enhanced by an elastic and lightweight upper for more natural foot movement akin to being barefoot. Notably, its upgrades in materials and craftsmanship lead a low carbon fashion in infant and toddler footwear.
- Inspiration
- This pair of shoes is designed with the ergonomic and developmental needs of infants and toddlers in mind. The outsole, bionically inspired by sheep hooves, features bidirectional grips to assist in force application during crawling. This ensures a robust ground grip and stable steps, enhancing comfort for both crawling and walking. Furthermore, this pair of shoes is dominated by an elegant, pastel color palette, creating a harmonious and soothing visual effect to foster a sense of security.
- Research
- The crawling stage is vital for brain and muscular coordination of little ones. Yet, numerous footwear options, with thick outsoles or monotonous patterns, inhibit proper foot exercise. To solve this issue, this pair of shoes has been revolutionized with a bionic design at the outsole, tailored for the growth needs of this age group. And the specialized arch, at the curved juncture between the balls of big and small toes, improves toe flexibility and strength, fostering healthy gait development.
- Challenge
- The key challenge was aiding little ones in the vital transition from crawling to walking. For this end, the sole utilizes a bionic design inspired by sheep hooves, featuring bidirectional grips to secure a robust ground grip and stabilize steps. This feature enhances safety on various ground conditions. Moreover, the specialized arch, located at the curved juncture between the balls of small and big toes, minimizes constraints on natural toe flexion, offering a sensation akin to being barefoot.
- Realization and Technology
- The upper made from W-natural fiber is gentle on the skin and offers optimal elasticity to fit the delicate feet of little ones. The wide, soft Velcro strap enhances comfort for their tender feet, and makes the shoes easier to put on and take off. The upper and outsole are expertly stitched, avoiding any hazards from chemical adhesives and formaldehyde. The use of sustainable materials like natural fibers and environmentally friendly rubber pioneers a low-carbon fashion for infants and toddlers.
- Operation and Interaction
- The outsole, with a bionic design inspired by sheep hooves, features bidirectional grips to stabilize steps and enhance walking balance. The fully wrapped toe cap effectively mitigates collisions, and the critical areas like the heel and arch have been expertly reinforced to provide extra support. Additionally, the wormwood insole, with massage points, offers lasting antibacterial effects and promotes blood circulation, championing holistic foot health of little ones.
- Project Duration and Location
- The design and development of the shoes started in January 2023, in Shenzhen. It was introduced to the Chinese market in in January 2024.
- Specifications
- product dimensions, 135 mm x 65 mm x 70 mm
- Keywords
- Crawling assistance for infants and toddlers, Bionic structure at the sole, Ergonomic optimization, Antibacterial massage insoles, Low carbon toddling experience
