Fristads ComfortStep - The next generation safety shoe
Fristads ComfortStep is a completely new family of safety shoes developed with Fristads, reinventing the work shoe around human performance, ergonomics, and sustainability to complete the Fristads workwear system from head to toe.
Fristads and Emma, both part of Hultafors Group, approached us to develop a new family of safety shoes — filling the missing piece in Fristads' PPE portfolio and completing their workwear offering for large clients.
The initiative combined Fristads' brand strength with Emma's footwear knowledge and supply chain expertise — creating a product family shaped by usability, ergonomics, and sustainability at its core.
ComfortStep is the result: built on user-centric design, grounded in onsite research across manufacturing, construction, logistics, and retail. It debuted as a full collection completing the Fristads workwear system, where garments and shoes work together in real working conditions.
What we did:
Onsite and remote user research across Sweden and Germany across manufacturing, construction, logistics, and retail
Stakeholder alignment anchoring Hultafors Group brand values
Insight synthesis and concept development around foot-first anatomy
Sustainability — recycled and bio-based materials, design for longevity
Prototype testing, ergonomic and usability assessment with end-users
Form development and aesthetic direction aligned to the Fristads brand
Design engineering, technology-partner integration, and design for manufacturing
European go-to-market and launch support
Industrial design | User research | Brand alignment | Design for manufacturing
Built to perform, designed to last. The shoe features a BOA® System from recycled materials , paired with a stabilizing heel detail displaying key safety certifications. The extra durable scuff cap protects where it matters most. Step out effortlessly at the end of the day.
To understand the challenge, we conducted shoe scans, competitor benchmarking, and visited fairs to map the safety footwear market. We interviewed 60+ users across 4 countries, in-store and in the field, while consulting experts in anatomy to push guaranteed comfort.
We map the Fristads clothing DNA. HighVis accents, reflective patterns, and rugged construction onto footwear-specific expressions. Scuff cap, reflective detailing, and a secure lacing bridge ensure the shoe feels unmistakably Fristads.
Concept visuals explored the full design language, refined into a final prototype range spanning indoor, rugged outdoor, and boot. Each carrying the Fristads DNA to market.
The shoes complete the Fristads ecosystem, refined enough to complement the clothing, built to perform wherever the work takes you.
