Expandable Sandal
Children's Expandable Footwear
by Brendan Trinh
Expandable Sandal — Children's Expandable Footwear.
Project Description
Children's feet grow at an unpredictable rate, often rendering shoes unusable in a short period of time. As a result, parents are required to purchase multiple pairs of shoes each year, placing financial pressure on families while contributing to significant environmental waste. This project explores how research-informed design can address this challenge by developing adaptable children's footwear that extends product lifespan.
The proposed product concept is a modular, expandable sandal designed to grow with a child's feet, providing a comfortable and secure fit while reducing the need for frequent replacements. The user-friendly rack-and-pinion-style expansion mechanism allows children or caregivers to adjust the sandal quickly and effortlessly as the child grows. The design also features interchangeable straps and insoles, enabling children to mix and match colours and styles to create a pair that feels uniquely their own. With a focus on sustainability, comfort, and usability, the design aims to extend the product's longevity, reduce waste, and encourage more mindful consumption of children's footwear.
Exploded View — The sandal features a modular construction where components can be easily removed, replaced, or interchanged. This allows worn parts to be swapped out while also giving children the flexibility to customise and adapt their sandal over time.
Customisation — Kids can mix and match different straps and insoles to design their own unique sandal, letting them play with colours and styles while expressing their creativity.
Expansion — Normal size vs. fully expanded size of sandal.
Bio
I'm Brendan Trinh, a third-year product design student at the University of Technology Sydney. I am a product designer who is incredibly motivated and enthusiastic about design, with an interest across furniture, lighting, woodworking, and everyday products. My projects are research-driven and function-focused, while adding a little bit of character to each design through incorporating soft and natural forms, making each piece approachable and appealing. I bring a diverse set of skills across woodworking, CAD, product visualisation, and iterative design processes, such as ideation and 3D printing. Above all, I'm dedicated, hardworking, and constantly seeking opportunities to learn and take part in creating innovative designs.
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