SANTA BARBARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 9, 2023--
Blumaka, a global innovator in performance insoles, is expanding its product line to add Low Profile and Arch Support models of its popular Konnect and Comfort insoles.
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Blumaka Konnect Low Profile insoles are one of the newest products available now on Blumaka.com. (Photo: Business Wire)
The expansion comes after months of extensive athlete testing. The company utilized biomechanics lab data based on tests with 190 professional athletes to develop a product that delivers faster movement, more force generation, increased stability, and enhanced responsiveness.
The Comfort line is designed with active, hardworking people in mind. Comfort insoles provide long-lasting cushioning and protection from shock and pounding, feature an antimicrobial top cover for added protection, and are favorites among professionals in the healthcare and service industries. While the expansion of the Comfort line adds more variety to the offerings available to consumers seeking comfort, advancements in the Konnect line have been centered on the performance needs of professional athletes.
“As an athlete, your feet are your greatest asset,” says Blumaka founder and CEO Stuart Jenkins. “We are excited to launch new products that can produce noticeable performance improvements for professional athletes and active individuals alike.” Jenkins, himself a former elite athlete and a 40-year veteran of the footwear industry, goes on to say, “I wanted to create the product I needed when I was an Olympic trials qualifier. Which is why we partnered with elite athletes to put our insoles through rigorous testing and provide actionable feedback.”
The superior performance unlocked by the Konnect line is centered on the insoles’ ability to provide traction inside the shoe itself. A textured, anti-slip surface grips the foot, reduces slipping, and allows for superior energy transfer between the athlete and the playing surface. Already, the new Arch Support and Low Profile lines have garnered a devout following from coaches, trainers, and athletes who were part of the testing program; word of mouth has further grown the brand’s base of devotees as testers spread the word about their experiences.
Professional baseball coach and biomechanics expert Donnie Ecker is a staunch believer in the effectiveness of Konnect's insoles for peak performance. "After getting exposed to Konnect's insoles back in 2021, I've only seen positive results and narratives continue from players wearing Konnect. The most consistent feedback is that the foot is no longer slipping in the cleat." Ecker notes, "It's unequivocal in my mind now, if you're competing at any level and you're not wearing Blumaka Konnect insoles, you're at a disadvantage."
Mike Yastrzemski, outfielder for the San Francisco Giants, credits the Arch Support line with helping him stay on the field longer after developing plantar fasciitis. Yastrzemski has been a champion of the brand since Blumaka’s inception. Many of the recent developments — particularly the Arch Support variants — were initiated in response to his observations about the needs and experiences of himself and his teammates. When he approached Jenkins with his feedback, Yastrzemski says, “Blumaka stepped up and created the arch support insole. It’s allowed me to play without pain while taking advantage of the already-excellent non-slip technology.”
Kolby Tullier, professional trainer and director of sports performance at Joey D Golf, calls Blumaka insoles “a game changer.” In his twenty-plus year career in sports performance training, Tullier has trained many of the best athletes in the world. “We are constantly trying to find a competitive edge to improve performance,” he says. “I’ve never seen the kind of results I get when I put my athletes in Blumaka insoles.”
While Blumaka is committed to delivering unparalleled performance, it’s not the only realm in which the company excels.
“The waste generated by the footwear industry is staggering,” says Jenkins. “And I’m not just talking about post-consumer waste — I’m talking virgin scrap material that goes into the landfill, or worse, gets burned. I just got sick and tired of seeing it. With Blumaka, I knew we could make a product that’s better for the consumer and better for the planet. Blumaka exists at the nexus of personal health and the environment by protecting your body and our planet. We aim to excel in both.”
Blumaka insoles are made from 85% scrap foam discarded by global footwear manufacturers. To date, the company has repurposed over 80,000 pounds of foam bound for landfills and incinerators. Blumaka’s patented manufacturing process also uses only four grams of water per pair of insoles, compared to nearly a gallon of water per pair used in conventional EVA manufacturing. Superior durability is a factor in sustainability. Lab testing has proven Blumaka insole cushioning last upwards of 1,000 miles guaranteed — nearly twenty times longer than the 50 miles expected from standard OEM insoles.
Blumaka Comfort and Konnect insoles, in the new Arch Support and Low Profile models as well as the Max Cushion models, are available to active and comfort-seeking consumers at blumaka.com. Team pricing is available through our partners at Drymax by emailing help@blumaka.com.
Blumaka was founded in 2021 by Stuart Jenkins, a 40-year veteran of the athletic footwear industry. Jenkins created Blumaka in response to the decades of wastefulness he had observed in the global footwear industry. The company is on a mission to deliver high-performance, high-comfort products while shifting the paradigm on products made from recycled materials. Blumaka insoles are made from 85% recycled content and are designed to outperform and outlast the competition — even though they stand in a league of their own. Learn more at blumaka.com.
View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230809886626/en/
Jen Pierce/jen.pierce@blumaka.com
KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA CALIFORNIA
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: FOOTWEAR GENERAL SPORTS SPORTS SUSTAINABILITY ENVIRONMENT SPECIALTY OTHER SPORTS RETAIL
SOURCE: Blumaka
Copyright Business Wire 2023.
PUB: 08/09/2023 03:42 PM/DISC: 08/09/2023 03:42 PM
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230809886626/en
