Masai Barefoot Technology

Masai Barefoot Technology, commonly known as MBT, is a footwear brand associated with a distinctive curved sole construction. The Italian official store describes its footwear as “physiological” shoes and presents the technology as patented in Switzerland since 1996. The brand’s current Italian storefront offers products for women and men across running, outdoor, sneakers, and slip-on categories. Examples shown include the MBT-1000 II, Huracan 4, Colorado X, Simba ATR 3 WP, and MBT-1997 Classic II. The design has historically been characterized by a sole rounded in the direction of travel and a soft heel component referred to in the German-language account as the “Masai Sensor.” The brand has promoted its shoes around how they affect walking and movement. The German-language account describes the intended mechanism as encouraging the wearer to actively maintain balance; such functional and health-related claims have also been the subject of debate and study. The account reports that MBT recommended “Slow Running” rather than conventional fast jogging in its footwear. MBT has Swiss associations in its brand positioning and technology claims. A German-language Wikipedia entry identifies Masai Group International in Winterthur as the manufacturer and reports that the company filed for bankruptcy in May 2012. A current Italian official store and a corporate-responsibility page identifying MBT International Pte Ltd show that the brand and its online commercial presence are active; the supplied evidence does not establish the present corporate ownership structure or headquarters. The current store provides Italian-language shopping, product listings, shipping and returns information, and a store locator. Its corporate-responsibility statement describes ethical and social standards for its manufacturing, import, and distribution partners.

Masai Barefoot Technology (MBT) is a footwear brand whose defining feature is a curved sole construction. The Italian official store presents MBT as Swiss patented technology dating from 1996, but the supplied evidence does not identify the original inventor or founder. The brand name is also described in a German-language reference as “Swiss Masai.” The historical construction described in that reference uses a sole rounded in the direction of travel and a soft heel component called the “Masai Sensor.” According to that account, the design was intended to create an unstable or soft-feeling base that would require the wearer to actively maintain balance. The company’s instructions and marketing have also addressed how consumers should use the shoes. The reference says an instructional voucher system was used through the end of 2008, with a one-hour introduction offered through an instructor. It reports that this system was discontinued from 2009 and replaced by greater use of informational brochures and DVDs, alongside increased training for specialist retailers. The same source says that a “Dual Board” sole construction was offered from 2009 as an alternative to the earlier “Integrated Shank” construction. The German-language entry describes MBT’s claimed movement and fitness effects as disputed and reviews studies relating to coordination and training. These are reports in that source, not independently established product benefits. It also says MBT recommended “Slow Running” rather than conventional fast jogging in the shoes. A German-language Wikipedia entry identifies Masai Group International in Winterthur as the manufacturer and reports that the company filed for bankruptcy in May 2012. The supplied evidence does not explain the subsequent corporate history or establish the present parent company, owner, or headquarters. The brand is nevertheless represented by a current Italian official online store, which lists women’s and men’s running, outdoor, sneaker, and slip-on products. A corporate-responsibility page names MBT International Pte Ltd and describes ethical standards intended for factories and business partners. The current evidence therefore supports describing the brand’s commercial presence as active, while leaving its current corporate ownership and organizational structure unconfirmed.

• 2012

  Masai Group International reportedly filed for bankruptcy in May

• 2009

  Dual Board sole construction offered as an alternative

• 1996

  Technology presented as Swiss-patented since 1996

Footwear differentiated by a curved sole construction and marketed around movement, walking, and Swiss patented technology.

• MBT-1000 II

  A running shoe listed by the official Italian store.

• Huracan 4

  A running shoe listed by the official Italian store.

• Colorado X

  An outdoor shoe listed by the official Italian store.

• Simba ATR 3 WP

  An outdoor shoe listed by the official Italian store.

• MBT-1997 Classic II

  A sneaker listed by the official Italian store.

1. 1Scarpe fisiologiche MBT | Online Store Ufficiale di MBT Italia | MBT Scarpe Store Ufficialeit.mbt.com
2. 2Responsabilitá aziendale | MBT Scarpe Store Ufficialeit.mbt.com
3. 3Masai Barefoot Technologyde.wikipedia.org
4. 4Masai Barefoot Technologywikidata.org