SoleMates
A sustainable sneaker with a removable, replaceable outsole — its closure mechanism developed across two phases of prototyping and user testing for accessibility and ease of use.
Role
Footwear & Mechanism Design
Timeline
4 Months
Tools
Fusion 360, Sewing & Fabrication
Method
Two-phase iterative testing — low-fidelity mockups validated with users, then refined into sewn, wearable prototypes.
My process
From first sketches to a tested, working prototype — the full arc this project moved through.
01
Brainstorm
Explored modular footwear concepts, sketching closure mechanisms that let a worn outsole be swapped without replacing the whole shoe. Compared velcro and drawstring approaches before narrowing in.
02
Research
Studied existing sneaker construction and closure hardware to understand how wear patterns affect outsole longevity. Diagrammed the parts of a shoe upper to find where a modular seam could go.
03
Prototyping
Built low-fidelity mockups of the swap mechanism, then moved to sewn, wearable prototypes in Fusion 360 and fabric. Tested a Loop and a Knob mechanism side by side.
04
User Testing
Had users swap outsoles on working samples, watching for friction points in grip, alignment, and ease of use. Their hesitations shaped the Phase 2 redesign.