Headquartered in Westport, CT, Kane is a footwear brand that believes in the regeneration of the body and planet. Kane is creating active recovery footwear that targets mindful movers by implementing expert-driven design, biobased manufacturing, and modern aesthetics.
Kane launched its flagship slip-on shoe, the Revive, this month, June 2021. Constructed from Kane’s sugarcane-derived BounceBack foam, the Revive utilizes thoughtful styling and a functional recovery design to support fatigued muscles and all-day comfort.
Their mission is to create products that help renew and optimize people and the planet.
The Creation of Kane
“I was just 11 years old when I started working at my Dad’s sneaker store in Queens, New York,” shared John Gagliardi, Kane’s CEO. Gagliardi is an industry veteran who comes from a family with a history in footwear retail. “Years later, as a professional athlete, I began to understand that footwear can have a profound influence on recovery. Then, two years ago, I walked past a pile of EVA shoes on a beach and wondered why there isn’t a better-looking slip-on shoe made out of planet-friendly materials. That experience led me to start Kane. From the beginning, our mission has been to create a well-designed, bio-based EVA shoe that supports and stimulates recovery. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished with the launch of the Kane Revive. And it’s only the beginning.”
Their ongoing intention is to minimize our environmental impact. They have committed 1% of their gross sales directly to ecological non-profits through 1% For the Planet; a non-profit focused on protecting the future of our planet.
Collaborative Design for Comfort
The Revive particularly represents a collaborative design partnership between Gagliardi, brand-building expert Bobby Riley of Soldier Unlimited, and Dr. Daniel Geller.
“For John and I, the Kane brand is the culmination of our 18-year long business relationship,” commented Riley. “I couldn’t be more proud of seeing the Revive come to life from the ground up.”
Dr. Geller’s work with the New York City Ballet and top cycling and triathlon teams helped Kane develop an active recovery design in every shoe. It aims to address superior construction, proper fit, cushioning, and air circulation—fundamental properties in ensuring the Revive is not only comfortable but provides attributes necessary for the recovery of tired muscles.
“Coupling superior cushioning and proper mechanics, Kane’s Revive achieves the concept of a recovery shoe,” said Dr. Geller.
A cornerstone property of the Revive’s active recovery design is Kane’s use of dual-density construction. Featuring a firmer upper fused to a sole with 31mm of cushioning, the Revive supports smaller muscle groups within the foot and softens the impact of each foot plant. Kane also paid special attention to creating a proper fit, an attribute that, when improperly addressed, can lead to undue muscle strain.
Forming the interior dimensions of the Revive, Kane has employed an anatomical last shape that mimics the natural proportions and contours of the foot. This design helps promote proper fit by capturing the arch, heel, and instep of the foot while providing room in the toe box for the forefoot to rest. In addition, exterior perforations and interior ventilation channels keep feet cool and dry by maximizing airflow. Finally, the Revive’s molded lugs utilize a siping pattern to increase traction across the terrain.
Kane’s Environmental Materials
EVA foam found in most recovery footwear is traditionally built using carbon-intensive petroleum-based polymers. Kane’s BounceBack foam utilizes biopolymers derived from sustainably harvested Brazilian sugarcane byproducts. Sugarcane is not only a renewable resource but is considered carbon-negative as well—the plant synthesizes carbon dioxide into energy via sugar, which is then extracted to form the ethylene used in Kane’s eco-based EVA foam. The Revive is composed of over 56% sugarcane, a ratio that Kane intends to increase in the years to come. “It was important to me that sustainability was woven into Kane from the outset of the brand,” Gagliardi commented. “An obvious place for us to start was to be critical of the materials we used in production. As we learned more about the natural properties of sugarcane, it became the clear choice for the Revive.”
Having completed a successful launch on Kickstarter, the Revive has become available since June 15th, 2021 for direct-to-consumer purchase.