Grasshoppers Trooper, first school shoe in South Africa to acquire the prestigious Banzi Feet Gold Certification

The journey of BanziFeet began in 2015 with research to compare the foot measurements of German and South African children and adolescents. Research revealed significant differences in foot shape and size between the 2 groups. It also found that 91% of South African participants grew up habitually barefoot, and 67% of their school shoes were ill-fitting, being either too narrow, wide, or short. Further research in 2019 showed that 98% of the tested South African children and adolescents would be unable to find shoes wide enough for their foot length in the current market.

These findings, along with the growing need to address problems associated with ill-fitting shoes during childhood development, led to the creation of BanziFeet. The BanziFeet certification mark ensures that shoes are designed and manufactured using research-based data.
In their quest to find local shoe manufacturers to address the identified problem with ill-fitting shoes, BanziFeet has reached out to a number of shoe manufacturers around the country. Bolton Footwear has decided to join forces with BanziFeet in providing shoes based on research data from the South African population. BanziFeet believes that the new Bolton shoe will transform the market by offering footwear that better fits the natural foot shape of many South Africans. Some customers may discover that they can purchase smaller sizes because the shoes account for the correct relationship between foot length and width.

Noel Whitehead: CEO Bolton Footwear
We are excited about the opportunity to join forces with BanziFeet. Our Design team in conjunction with representatives of BanziFeet developed the “Grasshoppers Trooper” school shoe. We are awarded the gold certification on the new “Grasshoppers Trooper” from Banzi Feet, as we comply with all three requirements set by BanziFeet. What makes this school shoe unique is that it was designed in South Africa in conjunction with a South African University based on research specifically done on South African school children. The manufacturing is done by a South African owned company Bolton Footwear and all the materials ranging from the leather to the outsole is sourced from South African component suppliers. Mossops which are Leather Working Group (LWG) Gold certified is one of the leather suppliers and John Whittle Components the soles as examples.

One can really say a school shoe developed and manufactured in South Africa by South Africans for South African children.