Xpan 2 Hana Mua: Kāma‘a Hana na Francis Lacroix

ʻO Xpan 2 Hana Mua: Kāma‘a Hana na Francis Lacroix he mea lanakila hanohano loa o ka 2026 A' Design Award Gula ma ka Māhele Hoʻokūkū Hoʻolālā Lole Palekana a me Lako Pale Pilikino.

GulaLako Pale· 2026

Xpan 2 Hana Mua: Kāma‘a Hana

na Francis Lacroix

Mea Kūʻai: Royer

Mea Lanakila A' Design Award Gula ma ka Māhele Lako Pale

36,825

Mea Lanakila i Hōʻoia ʻIa

Hōʻoia i ke Kūlana Makana no #182031

Kipa i ka Pūnaewele Nānā ma A' Design Award Hoʻolaha Nūhou Hōʻailona Makana

Nā Waihoʻoluʻu

Ka Hoʻolālā

E Pili Ana iā Xpan 2 Hana Mua: Kāma‘a Hana

Kikokikona Puke: Loa‘a i ke kāma‘a Xpan 2.0 kahi ‘ōnaehana kīnā kāma‘a hou loa i kūkulu ‘ia no nā wahi metala wela loa, kahi e pono ai ke ola pū ke pale wela a me ka hana māmā. Kū‘ē kona kīnā holomua i ka wela, ka pahe‘e, a me ka ‘ānai i nā wahi ‘oihana pilikia ki‘eki‘e. Ho‘opuni kekahi pahu lāpaki kū‘ē i ka wela a me ka lapalapa ahi i ka waena ‘umekaumaha polyurethane, e hana ana i pale wela ho‘ohui ‘ole me ka pio ‘ana o ka ho‘omauka‘i haku a me ka ho‘ohui kaumaha. ‘O ka hopena, ho‘okumu ia i kahi ana hou i ka lako kāma‘a palekana metala hehe‘e.

Ka Hoʻomaikai

E Pili Ana i ka A' Design Award Gula

Ua lanakila ka hoʻolālā Xpan 2 Hana Mua: Kāma‘a Hana i ka A' Design Award Gula, he ʻike hoʻohanohano nui loa i hāʻawi ʻia i nā hoʻolālā pae mua, kupaianaha a kūʻokoʻa. He mau hana hou loa, ʻike maka a nani hoʻolaʻa nā lanakila Gula e hōʻike ana i ka ʻuhane akamai, ka naʻauao a me ka mākau o kā lākou poʻe hoʻolālā. Manaʻo ʻia ʻo ka hoʻolālā Xpan 2 Hana Mua: Kāma‘a Hana he mea hoʻokumu i hoʻomaikaʻi nui ʻia, e hoʻokumu ana i nā ʻano hou, he nui, e hāʻawi ana i ka waiwai ʻaʻole i ʻike ʻia ma mua. ʻO kēia hoʻolālā i lanakila i ka A' Design Award Gula he papahana kupaianaha, mahalo ʻia e hāʻawi i ka pōmaikaʻi nui a hoʻoneʻe i nā palena o ka hana noʻeau, ka ʻepekema, ka hoʻolālā a me ka ʻenehana. Hoʻāla ka hoʻolālā Xpan 2 Hana Mua: Kāma‘a Hana i nā manaʻo makemake ikaika, hoʻāla i ka ʻiʻini, hoʻoulu i ka hana noʻeau a hoʻopūliki iā mākou.

Ma Hope o ka Hoʻolālā

ʻEke Nūhou

Nā hōʻoia, nā lālā hui a me nā kikoʻī ʻenehana i hāʻawi ʻia e ka mea hoʻolālā.

Nā ʻAno Kūʻokoʻa: The sole is designed in a way to encapsulate the quasi-totality of the polyurethane midsole by the heat and flame resistant rubber outsole leaving only a slight contour. Thus, offering a lighter and highly shock absorbing sole all the while providing maximal foot protection and durability.
Nā Ana a me ka Hoʻopili: A US size 9.0 (42 EU) pair has an approximate height of 200 mm and is built on an ergonomic shoelast designed to closely follow the natural morphology of the foot, ensuring fit precision and comfort. Each pair is packaged in a rectangular box measuring approximately 200 x 200 x 100 mm. The packaging, made from recycled and recyclable cardboard, protects the product from factory to end user.
Nā Lepili: Work boot, Safety boot, Cold Weather Protection, outsole technology, extreme job sites, Metatarsal Protection, Industrial Design
ʻEnehana Hana: The design process began with exploratory hand sketches to define proportions, functional zones and visual identity. Concepts were refined using Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator and Photoshop) to develop precise renderings and material simulations. A detailed technical drawing was then produced to guide tooling and upper manufacturing. A comprehensive tech pack ensured accurate translation of design intent into production.
Pilikia Hoʻolālā: The most complex challenge was achieving resistance to molten metal, particularly full immersion in liquid aluminum exceeding 1,000°C. Aluminum’s very low viscosity allows rapid penetration, making material selection and upper construction highly critical. The difficulty was intensified by bonding the upper to a rubber outsole through polyurethane injection, a material sensitive to heat above 150°C. Balancing extreme thermal protection with manufacturability required extensive experimentation and process control.
Noiʻi: Type of Research: Experimental product R&D following a five-phase Stage-Gate methodology. Research Objectives: Improve protection, comfort, and durability in molten metal environments. Methodology: Define measurable performance criteria and validate materials against them. Data Collection and Tools: Iterative lab testing on weight, slip resistance, molten metal splash and aluminum bath immersion. Participants: Internal R&D and manufacturing teams. Results: Measurable gains across all parameters. Insights and Impacts: Enhanced safety standards, industrial reliability, and long-term value for high-risk metal processing sectors.
Hoʻoulu Manaʻo: The sole design draws inspiration from the aerodynamic geometry of the CF-105 Arrow developed by Avro Canada. Its triangular wing structure and directional arrow motifs informed the tread’s dynamic chevron pattern, engineered to enhance forward traction and stability. The project merges aerospace precision with industrial safety research, translating principles of thrust, grip, and structural resilience into a high-performance work boot outsole.
Ka Lōʻihi o ka Papahana: The project started in January 2023 in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, and was completed in December 2025. The three-year development cycle included the Definition, Design, Prototyping, and Production Implementation phases. The product was officially launched in January 2026. A continuous Monitoring and Feedback phase has been ongoing since market introduction to ensure long-term performance optimization.
Kaʻina Hana: The Xpan 2.0 boot improves upon previous generations in every critical aspect. It offers higher resistance to molten metal splash, enhanced slip protection on certified test surfaces, reduced weight, improved ergonomic fit, and greater durability against abrasion and tearing. Each performance parameter was tested and validated, demonstrating measurable progress over the previous model, already recognized as a global benchmark in primary and secondary metal processing environments.
Nā Lālā Hui: Sponsor: Simon La Rochelle
Innovation Director: Francis Lacroix
Product Developer: Vincent Blais
Project Manager: Elyzabeth Bouchard
Operations Director: Etienne Sirois
Production Technician: Brittaney La Penna
Production Technician: Simon Turk
Technical Partner: Benedetto Scarnera (SFB Srl)
Technical Partner: Felice Scarnera (SFB Srl)