A BOUNCING SOLE

THE GERMAN AIR-CUSHIONED SOLE (1940s — 1950s)

In the mid-1940s, while recovering from a skiing injury, German doctor Klaus Maertens created a prototype for a more comfortable, air-cushioned shoe.

His friend, Dr. Herbert Funck, a plastics expert, helped develop this idea into an innovative PVC sole that was heat-sealed to the shoe's upper.

By the 1950s, shoes with these new air-cushioned soles had gained popularity, especially among older women seeking comfort, and by the end of the decade, the Maertens-Funck partnership was ready to expand their business beyond Germany.