Designet Fortex Arbeidsstøvel av Vincent Blais er en høyt ansett vinner av den svært prestisjetunge 2026 A' Design Award i Sølv i konkurransekategorien Vernetøy- og Personlig Verneutstyrsdesign.

SølvVerneutstyr· 2026

Fortex Arbeidsstøvel

av Vincent Blais

Klient: Royer

Vinner av A' Design Award i Sølv i kategorien Verneutstyr

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Designet

Om Fortex Arbeidsstøvel

Fortex er en vanntett vernestøvel utviklet for høyrisiko industrimiljøer med kjemisk eksponering, støtfare og mekanisk belastning. Innovasjonen er en kjemisk samstøpeprosess som binder termoplastiske polyuretankomponenter til en injisert polyuretanbase, og danner en enhetlig struktur uten lim. Integrerte elementer inkluderer et metatarsalvern, sidebeskyttelse for ankelen og en forsterket hælkappe. Designet gir motstand mot vann, kjemikalier, hydrokarboner, punktering og gliding, samtidig som det forblir lett, ergonomisk og termisk effektivt.

Anerkjennelsen

Om A' Design Award i Sølv

Fortex Arbeidsstøvel er vinner av A' Design Award i Sølv, en usedvanlig prestisjefylt anerkjennelse som tildeles design i toppklassen som er nydelige og imponerende. Sølvvinnere er enormt briljante og usedvanlig kreative verk som viser designernes enestående ekspertise, talent og skarpsindighet. Fortex Arbeidsstøvel forventes å være et praktfullt utstillingsverk som er bemerkelsesverdig profesjonelt og dypt nyskapende. Dette designet, som har vunnet A' Design Award i Sølv, er en svært bemerkelsesverdig, beundret oppfinnelse som gagner og flytter grensene for kunst, vitenskap, design og teknologi. Fortex Arbeidsstøvel er et skaperverk mange misunner, som vekker ønsker, gir positive følelser og vekker undring og forundring.

Bak designet

Pressepakke

Krediteringer, teammedlemmer og tekniske detaljer levert av designeren.

Unike Egenskaper: Engineered to redefine industrial performance, this boot features a quad-density co-injection system fusing PU and TPU into one seamless chassis. Anatomically mapped zones deliver lightweight shock absorption and targeted protection at key impact areas. A rigid heel stabilizes the foot on uneven terrain, while specialized outsoles ensure grip in extreme conditions. Cement-free bonding forms a waterproof, monolithic structure built for lasting durability and safety.
Dimensjoner og Emballasje: Product Dimensions (1 boot, size 42): 310 mm x 120 mm x 400 mm (height)
Package: 510 mm x 355 mm x 140 mm
Stikkord: Co-injected Footwear, TPU Reinforcement, Polyurethane Safety Boot, Cold Weather Protection, Ankle protection, Metatarsal Protection, Industrial Design, Injection Molding Innovation, Chemical Bonding, Work Boot
Produksjonsteknologi: This safety boot is engineered through co-injection molding, chemically bonding high-density TPU reinforcement with a lightweight PU core to form a seamless, monolithic structure free from adhesives and delamination. Developed for sub-zero climates, the TPU formulation maintains elasticity at -40°C, ensuring impact resistance without brittleness. Precision tooling guarantees exact reinforcement placement, delivering targeted protection, thermal stability, and durability without added bulk.
Designutfordring: The principal challenge was achieving reliable co-molding between TPU and a PU base, ensuring sufficient bonding strength in the metatarsal insert located within the boot’s primary flex zone. This required rethinking rotary-injection machine & tooling: a system allowing a pre-molded TPU insert to seat in an articulated receiver moving in frontal-transverse planes before mold closure and PU injection. Constraints included production feasibility, material behavior, wearer comfort and international safety standard requirements.
Forskning: This applied industrial research explored polymer chemistry and precision engineering to eliminate adhesion failure and cold embrittlement in safety footwear. Using iterative prototyping and destructive testing, high-density TPU was co-injected with a cellular PU core to form a monolithic structure. Hundreds of bonding and sub-zero wear tests led to a cement-free boot with permanent molecular fusion, zero delamination, and full CSA, ASTM, and EN/ISO compliance.
Inspirasjon: This project merges heritage craftsmanship with advanced material science, transforming traditional footwear into an integrated high-performance system with protection embedded in its structural DNA. Inspired by biological exoskeletons, it acts as both protective shell and load-bearing frame. Rib-cage inspired arch geometry in the metatarsal zone disperses impact while preserving flexibility, creating a biomimetic system balancing safety and ergonomic performance.
Prosjektvarighet: Designing started in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada in Dec. 2023. Engineering started in Legnaro, Padova, Italy in September 2024 with GGS, an elite Italian mold-making partner lead by M. Roberto Gobbato.
Driftsflyt: This safety boot functions as a flexible exoskeleton, flexing at the forefoot while stabilizing the heel. TPU reinforcements shield the metatarsal area and ankle from impact without limiting movement. Unlike cemented footwear, its PU and TPU components are co-injected and chemically fused into a single monolithic structure, eliminating delamination. Built for harsh industrial and cold environments, it delivers long-term durability, reliability, and consistent performance.
Patenter: Protective Toecap & Puncture-resistant Sole
(CSA Z195-14) Certified grade 1 protective toecap that withstands impacts up to 125 joules and certified puncture-resistant sole that withstands at least 1200 Newtons (270pounds)

Electric-shock Protection
(CSA Z195-14) Certified electric-shock protection (18 kV / 60 Hz / 1 minute)

Metatarsal Protection
(CSA Z195-14) Certified metatarsal protection that can withstand impacts up to 101.7 joules

Protective Toecap Impact and Compression Resistance
(ASTM F2413-24) Certified protective toecap that can withstand an impact of 75 ft-lbf (~100 Nm) and a compression of 2500lbs (~1135KG).

Puncture-resistant Sole
(ASTM F2413-24) Certified puncture-resistant sole that can withstand a force load of 270 lbf (1200 N)

Metatarsal Protection
(ASTM F2413-24) Certified metatarsal protection that can withstand an impact of 75 ft-lbf (~100 Nm)

Electric Hazard Protection
(ASTM F2413-24) Certified electric-shock protection (18 kV/ 60 Hz / 1 minute)

Slip Resistant Sole
(ASTM F2413-24) Certified slip-resistant footwear with a coefficient of friction (CoF) of no less than 0.40 on dry and wet quarry tile
Teammedlemmer: Footwear Developer/Designer: Vincent Blais
Design Associate: Loïc Girard
Executive Director - Innovation: Francis Lacroix

DEVELOPING PARTNERS:
Equipment and Testing: Felice Scarnera & Benedetto Scarnera from SFB Srl (Italy)
Master Moldmaker: Roberto Gobbato – GGS (Italy)
Material and Chemistry: ELACHEM (Italy)
Int'l team coordinator: Alexandra Dombrovska (Italy)