Volume 31 • Issue 09 • September 2006

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Putting their foot in it
Ferndale’s Superfeet serves an ever-growing market

by Lauren Kramer


For those who use them, insoles are a blessing from the heavens, a quick, practical way to remedy foot pain of all kinds. One of the industry’s biggest players operates quietly out of Ferndale, manufacturing non-prescription insoles that are sold in stores as close as Fairhaven Runners, REI and Footworks, and as far afield as Japan, Australia, Israel and Puerto Rico.
Superfeet had its beginnings in the Blaine-based Northwest Podiatric Laboratory, a 40-year-old company that develops prescription orthotics. Northwest was started by Drs. Dennis Brown and Christopher Smith, who are also among the owning partners at Superfeet, a privately held company with a staff of 125.
Brown and Smith started the company in 1977, spurred by the expansion of Northwest’s sport division. They chose Ferndale as Superfeet’s headquarters because of its proximity to their Blaine laboratory. Today, that location serves as the international headquarters and manufacturing center for Superfeet, which manufactures, packages and ships insoles on a daily basis. Still working in harmony, Superfeet and Northwest continue to share knowledge, philosophy and technologies.
Initially, Superfeet focused on developing custom insoles for skiers, but the line expanded and now includes a full range of insoles for athletes and everyday use. The various segments of the line are color-coded according to their specific function.
For example, the grey product is for skates and cowboy boots, while blue and green are for everyday shoes and athletic shoes. Sore or sensitive tootsies can find insoles for high heels and low heels, as well as an extensive line of custom products for winter sports.

Berry nice for women
Until August 2006, all Superfeet’s products were unisex, which worked fine because “an insole doesn’t know your gender,” explains Ward Collins, product manager for the company. But when women’s shoe manufacturers became more detailed in their sizing and attention to detail, Superfeet decided it was time to bring out an insole specifically for women.
The company designed its Women’s Berry Premium Insole to improve the fit and performance of women’s athletic and everyday footwear, hoping to meet a need for an ever-growing women’s category for sport and industry.
“The Berry is going to address a lot of problems with fatigue and pain experienced with prolonged standing and motion,” says Collins. “As women’s shoes become more specialized for women’s feet, a women’s specific insole becomes more ideal for fit and function within these shoes.
Designed primarily for footwear with removable insoles, the Berry, which retails for $39.95, features a forefoot shock pad and a stabilizer capsule that provides comfort for women who stand, walk, hike or run for extended periods of time.

No more pain
“Superfeet’s customers routinely report a reduction in blisters, foot, ankle, knee and back pain, and relief of symptoms from plantar fasciitis,” Collins says. “The insoles are designed to support the foot and align the body, leading to better overall health and injury prevention, but even those who do not suffer from blisters or foot pain can benefit from the insoles’ added support and comfort.”
The insoles range in size from children’s size 11.5 to men’s size 17. Most people aren’t quite sure how to use them, so each insole is sold with a User Guide with information on how to trim and clean the product. Superfeet also launched a new Web site with Frequently Asked Questions and information on foot injury prevention.

Burgeoning sales
As an indication of the popularity of its product, Superfeet sold more than a million pairs of insoles worldwide last year. Collins could not divulge any sales figures but said that company sales have grown by 20 percent per year for the past five years.
With a staff of 120, Superfeet sells 80 percent of its insoles through retail channels using national partners that include EMS, REI, Nordstrom and Fleet Feet. The insoles are also dispensed at the offices of private podiatrists and sold through Kaiser Permanente Health Care System, which operates in California, Ohio and Atlanta. International sales are on the rise, Collins said, with hot markets in Japan and the UK.
“We spend a lot of time and effort working with podiatrists and physical therapists,” he explains. “As a company, we place great emphasis on education and make every effort to inform our retailers and medical partners about the Superfeet product and how to properly size and trim it to promote foot health.”
Several other companies make insoles, but Collins is not fazed by the competition. “We don’t think anyone else comes close to our shape, design and attention to detail, because of our affiliation with the medical laboratory,” he says. “We do what we do with the highest standards and don’t worry about anyone else.”
“Our insoles are designed to support and align the foot and body,” he continues. “We hold over 35 patents on our insoles, the result of our focus on designing insoles that are shaped to promote the proper biomechanical function of the foot.”
Superfeet plans to continue to develop products that will meet the needs of the market based on price points and the consumer’s personal preferences. With the benefit of knowledge gained over the past 40 years working with Northwest Podiatric Laboratory and in the sports and fitness industry, the company is poised to continue offering premium insoles well into the future.

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Superfeet product manager Ward Collins stands in front of two new lines of Superfeet insoles. The pink insoles are designed specifically for women and the orange for men.





Superfeet employees work in the operations facility at Superfeet in Ferndale.