Turn Any Shoe Into a Slip-On With the Xpand Lacing System

Shoelaces often hold a very special place in sneaker design, and keep an aesthetic form that has remained largely unchanged since the birth of athletic shoes. While attempts at modernizing shoelaces have been made, they are more often than not niche products, with the overwhelming majority of sneakers encompassing everything from lifestyle to high performance still adhering to the traditional method of tying your own shoelaces by hand. Now being funded on Kickstarter, the Xpand lacing system looks to change that by striking a balance between aesthetics and convenience. At first glance, the Xpand shoelaces look no different than any other, but they are in fact made of a zero memory elastic rubber tightly secured with fiber-reinforced resin lace anchors. The result is the transformation of your shoe into a slip-on while retaining the same aesthetics and performance. Having already raised $350,000 USD compared to an initial goal of $10,000 USD, the Xpand lacing system has undeniably resonated with anyone who wears shoes.