Blumaka has expanded its Konnect and Comfort insole lines with two new models geared toward athletes.
“As an athlete, your feet are your greatest asset,” Stuart Jenkins, Blumaka founder and CEO, said. “We are excited to launch new products that can produce noticeable performance improvements for professional athletes and active individuals alike.”
The recycled footwear foam maker spent nine months testing its Max Cushion model with 190 professional athletes who don’t have sponsorships with Blumaka. Using biomechanics lab data based on tests from those athletes, the company developed the Low Profile and Arch Support products that enable wearers to move faster movement with better-improved stability. They allow for better responsiveness and encourage wearers to generate greater force.
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“The [nine month] duration was a reflection of how long it took to get enough volume for the data set. Blumaka’s insole line launched in October 2021, which is when we began the conversation with the independent biomechanics testing lab,” said Jen Pierce, Blumaka’s chief operating officer. “Every key metric captured in the biomechanics study delivered a statistically significant advantage for wearing the Konnect insoles when compared to wearing the stock insole from the shoe’s manufacturer.”
Jenkins, himself a former athlete and 40-year veteran of the footwear industry, said he wanted to create the product that would have helped when he was qualifying for the Olympic trials. This is why the California-based insole and midsole producer partnered with elite athletes to put its insoles through “rigorous testing and provide actionable feedback,” he said.
The Comfort line provides 17 percent more cushion and 14 percent more energy return than average insoles, according to Blumaka’s data, and features a contoured arch, deep heel cup and shock-absorbing foam. Both the Comfort Arch Support and Comfort Low Profile insoles have a 4-millimeter thickness for 1,000 miles of cushioning—almost 20 times longer than the 50 miles expected from standard OEM insoles, per Blumaka data—and are made with 85 percent recycled expanded thermoplastic polyurethane (ETPU) foam per pair. The Arch Support features an inner arch piece made from 50 percent recycled plastic as well as antibacterial and moisture-wicking properties.
“Blumaka stepped up and created the arch support insole,” said Mike Yastrzemski, an outfielder for the San Francisco Giants. He credits the Arch Line for helping him stay on the field longer after developing plantar fasciitis, and the Arch Support variants were created in response to the baseball star’s feedback regarding his and his teammates’ needs, according to the company. “It’s allowed me to play without pain while taking advantage of the already-excellent non-slip technology,” Yastrzemski added.
The Konnect insoles feature an anti-slip top cover to provide traction that helps wearers reduce the risk of injury. The textured surface “grips” the foot to minimize slipping while allowing greater energy transfer between the wearer and the playing surface with more ground force. The Konnect Arch Support is engineered to alleviate plantar fasciitis and address joint heel pain or discomfort. Its arch support helps reduce inflammation, relieves pressure and promotes proper alignment. The Low Profile line features the same grip technology in a thinner design that shouldn’t change the fit of the wearer’s shoes.
Donnie Ecker, the bench coach and offensive coordinator for the Texas Rangers and a biomechanics pro, also backs Blumaka’s technology.
“After getting exposed to Konnect’s insoles back in 2021, I’ve only seen positive results and narratives continue from players wearing Konnect,” he said. “The most consistent feedback is that the foot is no longer slipping in the cleat. It’s unequivocal in my mind now, if you’re competing at any level and you’re not wearing Blumaka Konnect insoles, you’re at a disadvantage.”
And Kolby Tullier, a professional trainer and director of sports performance at Joey D Golf, describes Blumaka’s insoles as a “game changer.”
“We are constantly trying to find a competitive edge to improve performance,” he said. “I’ve never seen the kind of results I get when I put my athletes in Blumaka insoles.”
While Blumaka has won over athletes, it also wants to reiterate its sustainable ethos.
“The waste generated by the footwear industry is staggering,” Jenkins said. “And I’m not just talking about post-consumer waste—I’m talking virgin scrap material that does into the landfill, or worse, gets burned. I just got sick and tired of it.”
This is why the company produces insoles from 85 percent scrap foam discarded by global manufacturers. Blumaka’s patented manufacturing process uses four grams of water per pair of insoles, as opposed to the near-gallon of water needed in conventional EVA manufacturing, according to the company.
“With Blumaka, I knew we could make a product that’s better for the consumer and better for the planet,” Jenkins said. “Blumaka exists at the nexus of personal health and the environment by protecting your body and our planet. We excel at both.”