Shoe expands five sizes, helps kids in developing countries - Creating the foot form with a 3D printer

Over the next several months, Pitman went to work turning Lee's idea into a reality, starting with a 3D printer that created the foot form.

“These are all parts that were done in our prototyping center here in the Portland area,” Pitman added. The finished product is a shoe that expands in three ways. It has snaps on the side to adjust for width, a buckle to fit the heel properly and snaps on the top that allow the sole to expand.

“It was very emotional the first time I saw the kids running and playing in the shoes in the videos Kenton had taken and sent back to us. It was a great feeling,” Pitman recalled.

The shoes are also helping in a way you might not expect: In the fight against childhood disease. “I used to think shoes weren't a big deal. If kids didn't have shoes, they're just running around barefoot and they're happy and they're fine,” Lee said. “But when they're running around without shoes or with shoes that don't fit, they're getting cuts, they're getting scrapes, they're getting infections… when they get sick, they miss school, they can't help their families, a lot of their opportunities are lost.”

The first 100 pairs were sent to four schools in Kenya where children provided important feedback to improve the design. Last year, the first factory order for 1,000 pairs was placed.