Hari Mari announced today the issuance to it by the US Patent Office of a patent that covers its Memory Foam Toe Post, ™an enhanced toe post that eliminates break in periods.
Hari Mari focuses on using premium materials, infusing color in a stagnant market of black and brown, and helping kids battle pediatric cancer. In addition, comfort is a large part of the brand’s DNA and this patent further speaks to Hari Mari’s commitment to innovation, design, and producing a comfortable product.
Prior to launching in 2012, Hari Mari’s Founder, Jeremy Stewart, hosted focus groups, speaking to all ages about what they did, and didn’t like, about flip flops. The main factor keeping most from purchasing and wearing flip flops, was a common loathing of uncomfortable toe posts between the first and second toe. Hari Mari’s patented toe piece was the brand’s solution to this industry wide complaint.
“You never truly understand the impact toe posts have in flip flops until you speak with customers who have experienced the difference first hand. The small amount of memory foam between the toes adds new levels of comfort customers do not realize they’re looking for,” said Hari Mari Customer Service Director, Anne Cadenhead.
The Hari Mari Toe Post™ is chemically affixed to the flip-flop’s sole and comprised of memory foam, which is distributed throughout the tubular sheath structure of the toe piece. This feature not only adds comfort to the customer, but also removes the chance that the post might rip out of the flop’s sole, another common complaint about flip flops.
“In a highly competitive footwear marketplace, it is important as a brand to have a unique story that people can relate to. At Hari Mari, we have created a comfort story with our memory foam toe post as a key component to that story,” said Trisha Hegg VP of Design. “When you can put your sandals (footwear) on , and wear them 24/7, with no break-in period, its a game changer.”
For more information on Hari Mari’s patented toe piece, click here.
ABOUT HARI MARI
Hari Mari was founded in 2012 by Jeremy & Lila Stewart. The beginnings of the brand were born out of the Stewart’s time spent in Indonesia, where each worked on projects related to improving kids’ lives: Jeremy, making a documentary film on helping kids suffering from hunger & malnutrition in Southeast Asia; Lila, working closely with the American Women’s Association, volunteering for orphanages in and outside of Jakarta.
Moving back to the States and wanting to continue to help children in some capacity, the married couple recognized an unmet need for comfortable & colorful flip flops at a premium level. The idea for creating a quality-driven flip flop brand that would support kids was born.
Seeing a lot of companies helping children abroad, Hari Mari decided to focus its efforts in the U.S., and was stunned to discover pediatric cancer is the most fatal disease among American children, more fatal than all other childhood diseases combined. It clicked from there. Hari Mari’s commitment now sees 1% of sales going to support kids battling cancer. It’s called Flops Fighting Cancer.
Paying homage to the origin of their commitment to helping kids and the trace root of the brand, “Hari” (Hahr-ee) literally means “sun” in the Indonesian Language while “Mari” (Mahr- ee) means “sea” in Latin.
Hari Mari flip flops are available on HariMari.com, as well as many quality retailers, such as Nordstrom, Zappos, and Neiman Marcus. Products range in price from $120 for its full-grain leather ‘Nokona’ Collaboration to, $45 for its rubber ‘Dunes’ line, to $35 for its new ‘Kids Scouts’ line. A full list of retailers can be found on HariMari.com.
