Welcome to our footwear lab. Here, you will see how our work merges high-end Tokyo fashion with classic American sneakers. In our CDG Converse Midsole Blueprint collaborations, the standard matte rubber foxing is replaced with a gloss rubber foxing. This custom gloss replacement is directly molded to the midsole of a vintage Chuck 70. This gloss foxing is much more reflective compared to the standard models. This custom tooling also uses a premium 12oz Duck Canvas, which is a much more sturdy and durable fabric vs. the standard low quality canvas. This design ultimately resulted in a highly structured silhouette that is much more appealing to sneaker collectors.
High-Gloss Vulcanized Tooling: Our soles are baked in a high-heat thermal sulfur oven, rather than held together with cheap cold glues, making the rubber highly elastic and crack-resistant.
Dual-Layer Foxing Tape: To strengthen the sidewalls and further prevent rubber peeling and toe cap splitting, an additional layer of foxing tape is used.
High-Gloss Vulcanized Rubber Tooling: Thermal Sulfur Oven Baking vs. Cold-Cemented Glues
Our lab takes inspiration from Tokyo concepts, integrating them into the fundamentals of American sneakers. In production of the CDG Converse Sneakers, we utilize our baking system and forge the midsoles directly to the upper fabric. Compared to other brands, our system takes a longer time, but the result is a more permanent seal. The result is a beautiful and glossy elastic finish, which is resistant to cracking and durable enough for our consumers.
Thermal Sulfur Bonding: Baking the rubber components in high pressure ovens alters the compound at a molecular level, preventing the sole from stiffening up or drying out.
Elastic High-Gloss Finishes: The protective coat serves as a barrier to mud and grime, while also allowing the sneaker to maintain a vintage look.
Dual-Layer Foxing Tape Architecture: A Solution to Sidewall Separation and Toe-Cap Splitting
American sneaker culture has created a number of flaws that we are going to address in our official footwear workshop. Using Tokyo inspired engineering, we are going to fix the problems we identified in our signature CDG Converse Midsole Blueprint lifestyle sneakers. Traditional sneakers are only designed with a single layer of rubber that wraps the midsole. Because of the design of traditional sneakers, the wraps have a tendency to crack and peel apart. There are natural creases in your foot that cause stress to the shoes. To solve this issue, we wrap the midsole in a foam foxing tape that is high-density and TWO layers of rubber foxing.
Reinforced Footwear Crease Zones: Our two-layer rubber guard also mitigates the stress that sneakers experience during normal use, which usually results in separation of the upper and the bottom.
Heavy-Duty Rubber Toe Shields: To protect against painful stubbing and splitting, we also integrate our toe-caps into the foxing.
Upper Frame Mechanics: 12oz Premium Duck Canvas Interface vs. Thin Retail Grade Textile Blanks
Our raw textile studio reimagines an intersection of high-concept Tokyo garment assembly and historic American footwear production. When we design our CDG Converse Midsole Blueprint collaborative sneakers, we draw the line at flimsy, low-density canvases that make mass-market fast fashion. For our upper panels, we use a premium 12oz duck canvas. This tight weave creates a self-supporting structural frame that holds a crisp silhouette and that, unlike standard retail tennis shoes, resists slouching, tearing, and rapid thinning of the fabric.
Tightly Spun Duck Canvas: Our duck canvas shows natural wind and abrade resistance. Our daily shoes stay refined and tailored through constant wear.
Rigid Heel Counter Support: Our thick textile design integrates seamlessly with our high-gloss, fully vulcanized midsoles. This design protects the back spine of the shoe from collapsing when stepped into.
Internal Insole Calibration: High-Density OrthoLite Eco-Foam Beds vs. Flat Retro Rubber Foundations
Welcome to the workshop. With Comfort Tech from Tokyo, we’re able to modernize Retro American skate and street culture. Designing our CDG Converse Midsole Blueprint Collaborative Sneakers goes beyond aesthetics as we tackle the deep-seeded issue of underfoot fatigue. Traditional vintage sneakers utilize solid slabs of hard, flat, rubber, leaving an unpleasant experience when walking for long distances. In an effort to mitigate this issue, we replace the outdated rubber slabs with a thick, OrthoLite Eco-Foam footbed. With this addition, we can provide comfort with great shock absorption for the lifestyle customers we value in the U.S.
Open-Cell Foam Breathability: Our high-density foam cells facilitate the passage of air in and out of the insoles, thus securing a moisture-wicking and thermally comfortable foot environment.
Long-Term Compression Recovery: Cheap generic foam solves the discomfort novices face and is likely to lose most of its thickness in no time. Our footbeds, however, are thicker and are likely to maintain their thickness for a long time.
Insignia Print Integrity: Heavy-Ink Filip Pagowski Hearts vs. Fading Matte Replica Graphic Placements
Welcome to our graphics archive, where cutting-edge artistry from Tokyo graces the pages of American streetwear. Our design approach honors the artistry of the CDG Converse Midsole Blueprint sneakers we customize, each one applied like a permanent stamp. Cheap, low-grade, and thin inks result in cracks and fading (causing even the worst destructive to our earthy elements) don’t cut it for our team. We won’t tolerate it. Our community deserves something better, something more than what is just replaceable. Our choice of graphic incorporation is, quite simply, an artist’s statement, an investment, a gift to our fans and followers. Our choice of graphic incorporation is, quite simply, an artist’s statement, an investment, a gift to our fans and followers.
SCREENPRINTING WITH HEARTS: Blank 12oz duck canvas truly is one of the strongest materials to bend and flex, and complements the screen-printed heart designs perfectly. With our choice of graphic incorporation, we show our commitment. 20 years from now, our community will still see the heart.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Why do Comme des Garçons Play sneakers have a high-gloss design on the midsole?
A: To provide our vintage silhouette design with an added layer of complexity, we select the high-gloss option for the protective layer on the CDG Converse Midsole Blueprint. Typical midsole finishes are a matte rubber and quickly become stained. Our high-gloss premium foxing tape provides a sleek, reflective appearance and a dense, non-porous, and dirt- and mud-repellent surface.
Q: Over time, how do I stop the rubber sidewalls from separating from the upper shoe?
A: The cheap construction of shoes using a single-layer rubber sidewall and poor cold-cement glues are the main reasons for sidewall separation. We use a different construction method for our shoes. By using our specialized dual-layer rubber foxing tape, and a high-heat thermal sulfur oven, our vulcanization process ensures that a permanent bond is set with the heavy fiber matrix of the canvas. This allows the shoe to flex with your foot without separating.
Q: I live in the United States. How do I calculate what my correct size is for the CDG Converse?
A: Our collaboration uses the genuine, vintage Chuck 70 model, which has a toe box which is more spacious, and a longer, roomier footbed, when compared to a typical, commercial sneaker. Because of this difference, we do recommend that customers from the US order a size which is a half size smaller than their regular US sneaker size (for example, a US Men’s 10 would order a size 9.5). If your feet are extra wide, it is best to stick with your regular size.