In a sector as demanding as safety footwear, innovation is no longer just about improving materials or meeting regulations.
The real breakthrough lies in recognising that every worker has a different foot shape, and that product fit needs to evolve accordingly.
That is the starting point behind Paredes’ success story, transforming the way work footwear is recommended through a digital solution capable of identifying each user’s gait pattern and recommending a personalised insole.
This initiative responds to a very specific market need, protection alone is not enough if the product does not fit the foot properly.
Avatar and IBV have long emphasised that poorly fitting equipment can reduce performance, cause discomfort and even lead users to reject it in day-to-day use.
When it comes to work footwear, that issue often translates into fatigue, strain, reduced comfort and an overall wearing experience that falls short of expectations.
Improving ergonomics and foot health in safety footwear as the main challenge
Paredes had already been working for some time on a clear product innovation strategy.
In its own brand messaging, the company places research, technological development and innovation at the heart of its approach. It has also promoted projects linked to ergonomics, anthropometry and adapting footwear to real working environments.
More specifically, its website highlights a project focused on developing an intelligent PPE footwear and insole selection system based on the shoe–insole relationship, plantar pressure distribution and the specific demands of the job role.
Paredes identified a key issue: not every user needs the same solution within the same safety shoe. Size alone is not enough.
Foot shape, arch height, heel structure and the way each person steps all have a direct impact on how the product performs throughout the working day.
If the goal is to offer safety footwear that genuinely improves the worker’s everyday experience, personalisation stops being a nice extra and becomes a real competitive advantage.
A web app designed to identify gait and recommend the right insole
To address this challenge, Paredes developed a web app designed to identify and adapt to each worker’s gait type in order to recommend a personalized insole.
The goal is to improve comfort, safety, wellbeing and foot health in everyday use. In other words, this is not just about digitising a measurement process. It is about turning that information into a practical, useful and product-focused recommendation.
One of the strongest aspects of the solution is that it brings advanced biomechanical logic into a simple and user-friendly experience.
The app:
- guides the user through the measurement process,
- provides support during each step,
- checks that the foot is positioned correctly,
- and delivers an automatic, direct response with detailed information
It then recommends the most suitable insole based on the user’s gait pattern. That shift from measurement to personalised recommendation is what makes this initiative a genuine example of innovation applied to work footwear
From 3D scanning to mobile
Previously, a scanner was used to create a 3D model of the user’s foot and capture more than 60 measurements.
The new phase of the project brings that capability into a far more accessible environment. The experience can now be completed directly on a mobile phone, instantly and through an interface designed to make the process as simple as possible.
This step forward is especially relevant because it connects technical accuracy with scalability.
Avatar describes 3D Avatar Feet as a mobile-based 3D foot scanning solution, while DOMEscan/IBV is positioned as an advanced scanning system for retail or clinical environments. Both are designed to capture foot morphology and improve size and fit recommendations.
In other words, the Paredes project is built on a solid technological foundation, but turns it into an experience that is much easier to integrate into digital channels.
DOMEscan/IBV and Avatar Feet
The combination of DOMEscan/IBV and Avatar Feet makes it possible to work towards the same goal across different touchpoints:
- 3D accuracy,
- morphological analysis,
- and product-led recommendation.
In the case of Paredes, this technological layer translates into a clear value proposition for the user, understanding their gait pattern and accessing an insole recommendation that responds more effectively to their anatomy.
The project presentation also shows that the insoles include different support options and a geometry specifically designed around foot morphology, with the aim of improving plantar pressure distribution and enhancing comfort during intensive use.
Greater comfort, safety and personalisation
The strength of the project lies in its ability to bring together ergonomics, digital experience and business value.
On the one hand, it improves the fit and feel of work footwear.
On the other, it reinforces Paredes’ positioning as a brand developing advanced solutions to meet real needs in professional environments.
Benefits for the worker
For the end user, the benefits are clear:
- more accurate recommendations,
- an insole tailored to their gait type,
- and a better wearing experience in terms of comfort, stability and wellbeing.
The project documentation sums this up clearly by linking personalisation with safety, health and everyday comfort.
In the world of work shoes, that impact matters even more because these are products worn for long hours and under constant physical demands.
Benefits for the brand and the digital channel
The technology can be integrated into a more complete digital experience, add value to the recommendation process and strengthen the brand’s image as an innovator.
This approach fits naturally with the way Avatar presents its success stories, enriching the buying journey and improving the relationship between product, user and channel.
Innovation applied to work footwear through Paredes and Avatar
This success story shows how a brand with a strong track record in safety footwear can go one step further by combining product expertise with specialist technology.
Paredes leads the need, defines the challenge and shapes the solution around the professional user, while Avatar provides the technological foundation that makes precise, scalable and digitally usable measurement possible.
The result is a solution with real impact; a more personalized model for recommending work footwear and insoles, aligned with the way the market is evolving and with growing expectations around comfort, fit and ergonomics.
To learn more about Paredes and its approach to innovation in safety footwear, explore its range of professional footwear and discover how the brand continues to invest in comfort, fit and product development for demanding work environments.
Its work in digital fit, plantar morphology and innovation applied to occupational footwear reflects a clear commitment to improving the day-to-day experience of professional users.
Find out more in this article
If you are looking to bring 3D foot scanning, fit digitalisation or personalised product recommendation into your footwear or PPE journey, Avatar can help you turn that opportunity into a practical digital experience.
With solutions such as 3D Avatar Feet and DOMEscan/IBV, the team supports brands in capturing accurate foot data and transforming it into scalable, user-friendly applications for better fit, comfort and product personalisation.
