Powered by: 
14 July 2023
Author: The Future Laboratory
Image: Global Fashion Summit, Denmark
Share
𝕏
Europe – The European Club Association (ECA) unveiled a pioneering research project in June 2023 to develop football boots specifically designed for women.
Working in collaboration with Aspetar and St Mary’s University, the ECA’s High-Performance Advisory Group, composed of club doctors, physiotherapists and sports scientists, has significantly invested in analysing the anatomical differences between women’s and men’s feet. Over 18 months, some 350 players from top European clubs participated in an anonymous survey, providing feedback on their current boots and any associated pain or discomfort. 3D scans of the players’ feet were also taken to analyse their shape and movement.
The study found that current football boots are primarily designed for white males, leading to discomfort and performance issues for non-white and women players. Some 82% of the women footballers surveyed said they experience discomfort wearing football boots. To be more inclusive, the latter should be designed specifically for women and address factors such as foot shape, bending points and stud placement to prevent injury and discomfort, according to the study.
‘It is clear that a one-size-fits-all approach is inadequate,’ says Dr Katrine Kryger of St Mary’s University. ‘The data and knowledge gained through this research will undoubtedly support the ongoing improvement and development of women’s football footwear.’
By investing in this ground-breaking research, the ECA aims to ensure that every woman and girl in football can play with boots that are engineered to fit their specific needs. As explored in our Inclusive Fashion Market report, swathes of the fashion industry remain inaccessible to, or uncomfortable for, many consumers in 2023.
Nike
Sony
Global – In July 2023, Japanese tech behemoth Sony introduced the HT-AX7, a new portable speaker system that can surround users with an immersive cinema-like sound experience. The three-part item includes a speaker and two smaller circular speakers designed to be placed in other corners of your room to create a dome of sound powered by the company’s 360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology already used in Sony’s regular soundbars and headphones.
Connected through wireless Bluetooth and monitored through a smartphone app, the three speakers have a battery life of 30 hours and can be used to listen to music, podcasts and more. Sony has also equipped the system with a handy quick-charge mode that can give users 150 minutes of playback on a 10-minute charge. The HT-AX7 features Sony’s upmixer algorithm, which can transform stereo into three-dimensional surround sound. The speaker body uses a fabric made from 100% recycled PET bottles and incorporates recycled plastics. Available from August 2023, the portable speaker system will retail in the US, the UK and Europe for £499 ($649, €585).
In Quiet Mode, we previously analysed how Sony competitors like Apple and Flare Audio are developing innovative features to help the increasing number of consumers who crave a new kind of quiet and immersive experience that can make them forget the outside world for a while.
