Joris de Groot is founder of a design studio that examines the tension between craft and industry. Focused on a personal collaboration with industry, he creates his own workspace on existing factory floors. Through hands-on research, he becomes familiar with the process of local techniques. He then experiments with the existing machines and materials, to use them for precisely new and innovative applications.
Over the years, the studio has collaborated with various manufacturers. The knowledge thus gained with regard to innovation and sustainability is used for various clients in addition to its own collections. For example, Studio Joris de Groot has worked with parties such as Sheltersuit, Secrid, Auping and Freudenberg.
The 2000N Pressed Shoe originated from research into the production process of a car interior. At the request of material producer Freudenberg, Studio Joris de Groot researched the possibilities of their nonwoven material Colback®, a material used for, among other things, the carpet in a car. Fascinated by the production process of a car interior, Joris started experimenting with the techniques and materials available to explore its possibilities. By adapting a test setup in Freudenberg's laboratory and implementing a traditional shoe last into the forming process, shoes could be formed from the carpet in a simple but innovative way. From the tufting and shaping of carpet to the finishing methods of mats that attach the sole to the upper of the shoe. The various techniques used in the production of a car interior come together in this collection of shoes.
