What we expect from our shoes has changed drastically throughout the years. Today, we want footwear that goes a step further, with designs that not only incorporate great style, comfort, and wearability, but also have a positive impact on our planet.
Take a step in a pair of HILOS shoes and you’ll feel just how much further you can go. Our innovative 3D design technique introduces a radically new way to make shoes. But what goes into crafting a shoe that offers the wearability and comfort of a sneaker with the look of your favorite classics like the clog, mule, or block heel?
CLOGS
A longstanding staple, clogs are a timeless style for good reason. Clogs are traditionally made with a wood platform, giving the style its iconic look. Unfortunately, this solid wooden platform can often be hard, clunky, and uncomfortable. Some companies use wood-alternatives to help improve comfort, but they’re not usually environmentally-friendly. Thankfully, we’ve invented a way to bring comfort, style, and sustainability to the beloved clog.
Our shoes are designed and created using environmentally friendly materials that have the same look as traditional leather clogs with the comfort of your favorite sneakers. For the upper, we use natural options such as vegetable tanned leather and nubuck (a suede-like material). For the platform, we 3D print using 80% recycled TPU. Using 3D printing as our manufacturing process allows us to engineer each shoe to have the unique properties required to create a stylish, comfortable, and sustainable shoe all in one.
And thanks to a unique process called hydro-dipping, we’re able to make our 3D printed platforms look like wood even though they actually feel bouncy and flexible like a sneaker.
When dreaming up our 3D printed clog sandals, we wanted to make sure they were not only cute, sustainable, and innovative, but functional shoes to wear to work and versatile enough to keep in your weekly rotation. These high-heel clogs will truly take you from day-to-night without missing a beat, so whether you’re looking for professional clogs or every day heeled sandals, your HILOS will give you the style, comfort, and environmental impact you can feel good about.
The question we’re most frequently asked is: what part is 3D printed? Our signature wood grain finish tends to trick the eye into thinking it’s real wood, but it’s actually 3D printed TPU, a durable yet flexible material that’s typically used in running shoes. Hydro-dipping takes a 3D printed platform and transforms it into a stunning HILOS clog. The result is a wood-like finish and fine graining that gives each pair of shoes the familiar block heel clog look.
3D PRINTING
Before we explain how we achieve classic wood grain finishes on our clog mule, let us share with you a peek into the engineering that goes into every shoe we create.
From insole to chunky heel, we’ve condensed the typical 12-24 piece layered construction of a traditional shoe down to a single unit using 3D printing. We leverage the innovative technology by creating internal architectures and geometries to design for on-demand assembly. This means every shoe is carefully made-to-order only after a customer orders. On-demand production has proven to reduce our environmental impact, reducing every pair’s carbon footprint by 48% and water usage by 99%.
3D printing also mitigates wasteful making practices by only using material that’s needed (additive manufacturing) and recycling materials at every step of the process. Rest assured, this technology doesn’t stop at high-heel clogs; countless other footwear styles can benefit from 3D printing, such as:
- Clog boot
- Clog mule
- Loafers
- Mid heel
- Mary Jane
- Slingback
Our high heel clogs offer exceptional comfort and styling, allowing wearers to enjoy the look and feel of a heeled sandal without the discomfort of traditional high heel shoes. Sitting at a comfortable 3", our high heel clogs offer the lift you want without putting strain on your calves or ankles. This is because of our ergonomically designed heel and footbed, which means wearers can say goodbye to comfort aids like Dr. Scholl's or limited options from Uggs or Crocs.
Our heeled clog designs are created to provide maximum comfort for wearers. Unlike ordinary heels, ours are designed to meet the needs of all-day wear at the office or jetting away to your favorite sunny destination. The heel design and shape relieve pressure on the foot, so you can wear them without having to worry about pain as the day goes on. The TPU we use to 3D print our platforms is the same material used to create your favorite pair of running shoes. This gives wearers added flexibility and movement that classic wooden clogs lack. Our heels are also designed to ensure even distribution of weight throughout the shoe.
But we wanted to design a high-heeled clog that offered more than just comfortable wear. We wanted to create a piece that showcased the individuality of our community. Our goal was to produce shoes that fit on-the-go lifestyles while celebrating a unique aesthetic point of view.
Every shoe we make is handmade to order only when you order them. The classic open toe adds extra breathability and comfort, as well as elegant multi-purpose styling. These pieces are meant to move with you, not against you, allowing anyone with accessibility or mobility issues to enjoy truly fashionable pair of comfortable women's shoes.
Find your yin and yang with our envy-inducing high heel clog Grace. This peep toe style beautifully blends together two contrasting colors in buttery soft leather to create a bold look for celebratory outings or every day office styling. Our Georgia adds on to this peep toe style with included ankle straps that can be swapped out for a slingback strap for added versatility. The slingback and tie-up interchangeable straps let you style the shoe to suit any occasion or outfit, while the block heel and springy digital mesh cushion allows for extra-long wear. No matter what journey you are on, these high-heel clogs are the perfect addition to your professional or personal wardrobe.
HYDRO-DIPPING CLOG SANDALS
Creating a 3D printed clog that has the look and styling of a wooden clog took innovation from a team that questioned the way shoes were made, challenging conventional and wasteful practices endemic to the fashion industry.
You can find this on many of our pieces including our bestseller, black leather clog style, Brandi. Featuring a wood-grain low heel and natural rounded toe, Brandi is a stunning example of a classic with a modern twist.
The woodgrain look of the heeled platform is achieved using hydro-dipping. This finishing process starts with the bare 3D printed platform and ends with a woodgrain finish. We’ll never get bored of the look of awe on people’s faces when they learn it’s not wood, but we thought it would be helpful to explain just how the magic happens. The bare platform comes out of the 3D printer grey, so we start by coating it with a base color that will match the chosen wood tone. We then cut a sheet of film that’s printed with our desired wood grain pattern and put it on top of a bath of water. An solvent is then sprayed on top of the film that dissolved the film istelf only to leave the wood grain pattern at the surface of the water. Then, we dip! Platforms dive nose first into the bath of ink and water and come out looking just like a wooden clog platform.
This unique process means that just like the rings of a tree, no two grains look alike, making every shoe we create uniquely yours.
Watching each pair of shoes slowly dip in the film and emerge with bespoke colors and patterns can be a truly magical experience. It’s no wonder that creating each piece of footwear is like crafting a piece of art.
Our styles are all available in many beautiful tones for those looking to make a true impact. Whiskey is a deep cognac that adds a subtle pop of warmth to any outfit while our olive and sand colors create a feeling of connection to the earth. Have fun with your style, by choosing a dual-tone shoe like our Yin & Yang or a fun pop color like Wasabi. Each color beautifully pairs with the wood grain pattern on the heels of these finely crafted clogs.
Quite simply, our heeled clogs are designed to take you anywhere you want to go in style and comfort.
Grace heeled clog in Crema
TAKE A STEP IN HILOS
With more than 24 billion shoes made every year and over a fifth going straight to the landfill, we knew that the way shoes were traditionally made had to change. Our digital manufacturing process allows us to achieve new levels of sustainability, creating pieces that are designed for disassembly and recyclability while minimising overproduction and waste.
If your shoes aren’t quite right for you, let us know! We want you to love your HILOS and offer a 30 day return policy. Returned shoes are repurposed for a second life so that nothing ever goes to waste.
We have made our checkout process easy. This includes a space for you to leave us a note about your purchase so you can feel confident you are getting the perfect pair of clogs.
Got a question about our shoes or the design process? Send us a note and someone on our team will get back to you right away.