ABSTRACT
In the early years, foot coverings made of animal skin were used to protect human feet against harsh weather and rough terrain. As time went by, foot coverings became more elaborate, complex, and specialized. Th e design and construction of footwear, which were customized to each person, were indicative of the wearer’s wealth and status. Aft er the industrial revolution, footwear production was mechanized, thereby becoming an aff ordable commodity. With the emergence of mass-produced footwear, the focus shift ed to lowering costs, and, as a result, a lot of footwear did not meet the basic criteria of fi t and comfort. Recent technological innovations in digital modeling and the attraction of mass customization are enabling companies to focus on comfort and fi t, while maintaining near mass-production effi ciency. But, both the human foot and footwear design must be clearly understood to improve fi t and comfort. Th is chapter discusses the human foot, traditional footwear production, mass customization of footwear, and recent advances in foot modeling to enable improvements in footwear design and development.
