Kifu, the shoe made of Magical Washi

Italian manufacturing meets Japanese technology to produce Kifu: a project by the footwear company Calzaturificio Fratelli Soldini to make shoes out of the biodegradable natural fibre, Magical Washi.

This technology, invented by Japanese inventor Toru Itoi, uses the leaves of the Abaca plant which, once they have been turned into material, have the properties necessary to keep feet warm in winter and cool in summer by preventing the friction between the material and the foot from producing heat.

The design of the sole is based on the foot’s natural contact points with the ground and the materials used to make it provide shock absorption, stability and flexibility. When the range first comes out in S/S 2017, it will include sneakers and slip-ons for both men and women.