OUR STORY
OUR STORY
We invite you to walk a mile in our shoes.
From the moment you step out of bed until you lay down at night, your feet carry you down the many pathways of life. On average, that road is 110,000 miles (or four journeys around the earth) in a lifetime. What kind of shoes are you wearing to endure that much wear and tear?
For one of the founders of Skuze, Ted Alflen, his feet led him to the beginning of his career as a professional football player for both the American Football League and the Canadian Football League. Alflen is credited with one of the great catches in CFL Grey Cup History, (go to minute 17 to watch it!) and after an injury took him out of the sport, he went on to become a successful businessman.
It was this beginning that led to Ted and his son Chris to the next “step” in their lives. Chris Alflen is a talented designer with his thumb on the pulse of style and functionality. He and his father desperately wanted to create a shoe that was not only stylish to wear, but also immensely comfortable to endure everyday life in.
While everyone’s journey is unique, wearing shoes that nurture your feet will get you off on the right foot no matter where your story may take you. That’s our simple mantra at Sküze. We’re a few passionate souls, dedicated to creating one of the lightest and most comfortable shoes available for anyone and everyone.
We began our journey by researching the shoe market. We spent countless hours studying shoe design, manufacturing techniques, and foot mechanics. We analyzed everything from leading athletic performance brands to the low end of the casual footwear sector.
We gained deep insight into what a makes a shoe comfortable. Things like a shoe’s weight, fit, breathability, flexibility, ergonomics, and impact absorption were key characteristics of its comfort level. Further, functional benefits were significant as well, such as the shoe’s traction, durability, anti-odor microbials, and ability to put on or take off easily.
With this understanding, we put the pen to paper to design our first prototype shoe. Combining premium fabrics and materials with ergonomic design, we created a casual shoe that felt and looked amazing.
We ran errands in them, took them to the beach, and walked around the neighborhood. We wore them shopping, out socially with friends, and even when doing chores around the house. We wore them on the boat, kayak, road, sidewalk, gravel, grass, and sand in rainy, sunny, overcast, and humid weather.
We took what we learned and went back to the drawing board. We created new prototypes relentlessly improving upon our designs and putting them to the test. With each new prototype, we got closer to achieving our vision.
Today, after three years of hard work, we’re thrilled to introduce Sküze – a shoe that delivers on our vision of ultimate lightweight comfort. We invite you to walk a mile in our shoes. We’re confident that you’ll enjoy your journey with Sküze as you discover its unparalleled comfort, quality, and craftsmanship, one step at a time.