▲ Alcort / CEO Go Myeong-seok

Since long before, there have been sayings such as “The aging of the human body begins with the feet.” and “The feet are the second heart.” Foot health was considered to be so important that it affects the health of the whole body. Steady care for the feet that support the weight and balance of our body as well as wearing comfortable shoes are becoming important factors for our health. 

Recently, the functional sandals that satisfy these important factors have become the talk of the town. Alcort developed and designed these sandals through scientifically and professionally proven technologies and the company earned a reputation as a leader in functional sandals. <PowerKorea> met CEO Go Myeong-seok and heard they special functions and competitiveness. 

Designed professionally and scientifically for the best of foot health, Officially approved by NASA OCOMM

500% quantum jump in sales on last year, good reviews from consumer takes wings of sales

As the number of people suffering from plantar fasciitis increases year by year, people’s interest in foot health care is also increasing. In the midst of this, the sports recovery brand Alcort is gaining popularity by launching ‘Alcort Recovery Sandals’ for people suffering from foot pain. 

It was officially launched in August 2021, achieving a phenomenal result of 7,843% of the Wadiz crowdfunding target. Wadiz is a representative crowdfunding platform in Korea. Since then, it has continued to sell online and entered Hyundai Home Shopping in July of this year and recorded a sold-out rally of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rounds. It has emerged as a representative brand of health functional sandals in Korea.

Alcort is a ‘sports recovery brand’ created by programmers and engineers, and was launched in 2020 with the goal of providing users with quick recovery and relaxation. An Alcort official said, “‘Alcort Recovery Sandals’ were made by the programmer CEO Go and his MIT engineer wife (current vice president)”. In general, while ‘fashion’ focuses on aesthetic design, ‘Alcort Recovery Sandals’ started from science and function and pursued ‘right design’ encompassing functionality and aesthetic design, securing outstanding competitiveness in domestic and overseas sandals markets. 

They are made with ergonomic design through consultation with foot experts such as ballerinas, gyrotonic trainers, and sports doctors based on the belief of CEO Go: “More frequently used products in daily life must be more professionally and scientifically designed.” After continuous research on how to reduce the burden on the feet due to gravity during the development process, the idea was inspired by the outer dome shape of the lunar lander used for NASA’s space exploration. As a result, the product technology and value were recognized and it was registered as an official NASA OCOMM approved product.

Functional recovery sandals applied with foot biomechanical ‘windlass mechanism’ for the first time

Comfortable fit, functionality and simple design with Nordic sensibility

Distribution based on data analysis, collaboration with Onnuri i Korea, a specialized marketing company

Windlass mechanism of John Hicks, who studied foot biomechanics, can help ease symptoms of plantar fasciitis by naturally supporting the arch of the foot when wearing. The Windlass mechanism is a foot biomechanical theory that identifies how dorsiflexion activates the plantar fascia and arch during walking and furthermore reveals that various foot diseases are caused by the non-operation of the Windlass mechanism. The dome cushion inside the heel with a height of 4cm effectively absorbs the impact while walking, reducing the burden on the ankles and joints. Also, it is made of special EVA material that is soft and has excellent resilience, so they are not easily torn yet light enough that a pair weighs only 150g and does not slip in the rain. 

They are designed with a Nordic sensibility and are composed of 4 pastel colors (black, white, olive, and beige) in consideration of the various age groups and genders of consumers. CEO Go said, “The Alcort Recovery Sandals, which embody both functionality and design, are comfortable to wear and reduce fatigue even when worn for a long time. there.” It is currently worn by famous Instagram influencers, and numerous reviews are heating up online. It is said that the background of Alcort’s growth comes from the strategy of ‘focus on what each company is good at’ collaborated with Onnuri i Korea that has a strong domestic distribution and marketing and CRM ability. Recently, the company proved its superiority by acquiring the ‘T-4’ grade, given to technology excellent companies by NICE. 

‘Use and Heal’

Growing into a science-based ‘recovery sports fashion brand Alcort’ that puts health of consumer first

Alcort, which aims to be a recovery fashion brand, plans to continuously introduce items based on the philosophy of ‘use and heal’ by combining scientific and technologically proven functions with everyday items. The company currently is working on insoles, clogs, sneakers, and other apparels. CEO Go said, “The goal is to grow into a ‘sports recovery brand’ that provides recovery of uncomfortable parts of the body by combining aesthetic and functional designs with more diverse products as well as feet.”

Alcort Recovery Sandals have recently been introduced as functional sandals in various public media outlets, expanding their reputation and are currently being sold nationwide through online shopping malls including Naver. In times of the pandemic that threatens our everyday lives, it is expected that the sports recovery brand ‘Alcort’ will take the next step in the functional sandals’ market by leading the health-conscious consumption trend.