This shoe combines a shoehorn with a swivel mechanism to make putting on shoes easier for everyone

Prima is an inclusive shoe design that combines a swivel mechanism with a shoehorn to allow users of varying cognitive and motor levels to put on and wear their shoes with ease.

Sometimes the most innovative solutions come from the simplest of designs. Most of us wear shoes every single day. They’re the last thing we put on as we’re leaving the house and we bring them everywhere we go. While many of us put on and wear shoes without even thinking about it, not everyone shares the same experience.

Designer: Jean-Michel Rochette

While it might seem that shoes are one size fits all, for those with degenerative joint disease or arthritis, putting on shoes first thing in the morning comes with a share of difficulties. To help solve this issue, designer Jean-Michel Rochette developed Prima, a type of shoe designed for older folks and those living with joint pain to put on and wear with ease.

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Putting on your own shoes and tying them takes a lot of cognitive and physical effort. For people living with cognitive disorders and atypical motor tendencies, putting on shoes marks the first uphill battle of the day. Rochette conducted periods of research and prototyping to find Prima’s final form.

Prima is a comfortable, no-lace, slip-on shoe that integrates a swivel mechanism into an embedded shoehorn to allow users to easily put on and wear their shoes. The shoe features elastic bands that connect the front of the shoe with the rear, allowing users to use their free foot to tilt one Prima shoe upwards and slip their other foot into its inside.

Noticing today’s footwear industry’s trend towards mass consumption, Rochette aimed to create a shoe that fits a market current footwear brands don’t serve. Prima combines a swivel mechanism with the build of a shoehorn to turn every shoe into a slip-on.

Describing Prima in his own words, Rochette notes, “The Prima shoe allows its user to quickly put on and take off their feet without having to bend or perform any manipulations thanks to the swivel mechanism located at the back of the shoe. It eliminates physical pain and discomfort caused by different situations such as waiting and needing assistance.”

 

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Meet the hug cup, an evolution of the traditional tableware that allows you to easily hold your warm mug on those chilly days!

Hug Cup is an innovative reinterpretation of the traditional ceramic mug, replacing the conventional side handle with a central grip tunnel that serves as an internal handle for those living with joint pain or osteoarthritis.

Kitchen cups and mugs have been endlessly reimagined through design over the years. The cup’s simple form makes room for innovative design across industries, from ceramic to inclusive reinterpretations. Designer and ceramic artist, Eszter Imre offered their own take on the conventional ceramic mug, casting a center finger tunnel that makes holding the cup feel like you’re hugging warm tea and makes holding the mug easier for those who struggle with holding a mug’s traditional side handle.

Imre’s Hug Cup was created to drill home the designer’s belief that, “we give special attention to things we use in our everyday life. We like to have a personal relation to the objects we touch closely, such as a cup.”

The internal handle is a unique take on the mug’s traditional side handle, allowing users to securely grip Hug Cup while feeling the warmth of the liquid contents inside. Describing the mug in their own words, Imre states, “The whole cup creates an intimate tunnel through the cup itself for your finger, you may enjoy the heat of your beverage without burning your palm.”

While Hug Cup’s innovative handle is playful, it is also a solution-based design. For those living with joint pain, more specifically osteoarthritis, gripping mugs is a feat on its own. The central tunnel on Hug Cup allows users to hold onto the mug without altering the way their hands naturally fall. By simply sliding your thumb through the internal handle, half the battle is won. In creating Hug Cup, Imre notes, “It’s a fun, engaging object that wouldn’t make you feel like an outcast from society due to your special needs.”

Designer: Eszter Imre