Many of us don’t consider tires until we are thinking about getting new ones or wondering how often we should rotate them. Goodyear and Sketchers are out to prove that the technology used in developing tires for enhanced performance can be used for getting us around in other ways as well.

Goodyear and Sketchers Team up Using Tire Technology

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and Sketchers announced that they are coming together to utilize the rubber technology of tires to create a new custom outsole to deliver increased grip, stability, and durability. Through this unique footwear collaboration, Sketchers will release new styles of active footwear for men, women, and kids throughout 2020.

Christian Jurado, Goodyear’s global director of licensed products had this to say about the collaboration:

“Goodyear has always worked to create innovative products that provide consumers with high-performance tires, and now we’re using that same ingenuity to enable consumers to wear high-performance shoes.” 

The newly developed Goodyear Performance Outsoles are made possible utilizing Goodyear-developed rubber technology that contains a special polymer. This polymer includes sustainable soybean oil- a renewable, bio-based material also used in some of the tires manufactured by the company in the U.S. and Canada such as Assurance WeatherReady, Eagle Exhilarate, and Eagle Enforcer All Weather and the Assurance ComfortDrive. 

Using Tire Technology for Footwear

The idea behind using tire technology for shoes is that footwear should be designed for long-lasting wear as well as excellent grip on a variety of surfaces. Just like in the development of new tire weather conditions, traction, and enhanced stability were all taken into consideration during the design process.  

 Skechers initially launched the collection featuring the Goodyear Performance Outsoles with three running shoes in their GOrun collection. The collaboration has expanded to now include walking and running sneakers, and there are plans to grow through 2020. Other footwear categories will consist of an athletic lifestyle, trail, and work footwear for men, women, as well as kids styles. 

“This collaboration is an example of two trusted brands coming together to create a high-tech product that will truly benefit our consumer,” said Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers.

“Through this effort, select products will feature Goodyear Performance Outsoles, offering that extra edge where it’s needed most—be it enhanced stability on a run, excellent grip over slippery surfaces in the workplace, or durability on the playground for long-lasting wear. We expect this will resonate with our customers who need these innovations in the comfortable Skechers footwear that they love.”