November 2022 Volume 4

EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY

Q&AWith Xena Workwear Founder & CEO Anastasia Kraft

The gorgeous Gravity boot that started it all and reimagined what safety boots could look like.

Ana Kraft is the founder and CEO of Xena Workwear. She serves as a Committee Board member of ASTM International, advocating for the safety needs of women in STEM and the trades and is also on the Board of FMFM, a non-profit building stable food and water sources in East West Africa. What are the benefits of wearing steel-toe shoes? Why are they necessary? Steel Toe shoes (or more generally, “safety shoes”) are helpful in preventing foot injuries and keeping the wearer safe from a variety of potential hazards. With the right pair of boots, you can decrease the risk of injury from falling objects or prevent slipping on contaminated surfaces. The most common environments where safety shoes are worn are manufacturing facilities, construction sites andwarehouses. Beyond the work setting, steel toe boots have begun to rise in popularity for activities such as horseback and motorcycle riding, DIY project work, and general self-defense. How are safety shoes for women different from safety shoes for men? What special needs do women have when it comes to safety shoes? On a biological level, men and women have different foot anatomies, with awoman’s foot tending to be narrower in the heel area andwider in the toe area. For cost-cutting purposes, legacy PPEmanufacturers have historically applied the “shrink it and pink it” concept when releasing women’s work boots. This involved taking men’s boots, making them smaller, and adding stereotypically “feminine” elements such as pink accents. The result has been footwear that women find uncomfortable and aesthetically unappealing.

What makes a steel-toe shoe comfortable for women? The principal comfort element is for the shoe to be built on a woman’s last, taking the female foot anatomy into consideration. Next, it is important to make sure there is not too much excess space in the shoe. Making a larger, bulbous shoe is cost effective for manufacturers because more shoes fit different foot shapes and sizes, but this often results in women feeling like they are walking in clown shoes. Lastly, usage of a comfortable insole is key. Contrary to popular belief, memory foam is notoriously poor for long hours of standing as it compresses fairly quickly, leaving you with no cushioning, later in the day. A polyurethane mixture combining just the right amount of softness and stability is our preferred approach. Why did you decide to start your company? What differentiates your safety shoes fromwhat was already available on themarket?What problemare you trying to solve? It wasn’t as if I grew up fantasizing about starting a safety shoe company. This crazy journey began because working in Manufacturing, I was incredibly frustrated with the safety shoe options available to me. The existing PPE companies were predominantly focused on the male market, so I decided to do something about it myself. Our safety shoes are designed, first and foremost with women in mind. They are made to fit women’s feet and have a timeless fashion to them, making it so that women no longer have to dread wearing their work boots. Rather than being bulbous and looking like hiking boots or sneakers, our shoes are

FIA MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2022 27