Our closets and travel bags are full of too many shoes. This overproduction/overconsumption adds to the depletion of natural resources and speeds up the rate of pollution entering our air, water and land. Making footwear with better material choices is a good first step but making fewer shoes is the best solution. This is why I invented a minimal, convertible shoe, called the All-Dai, that has the ability to transform and be worn 4 different ways: A sneaker, sandal, mule, and open-toe sneaker - all in one! Simply remove the foam insole and place over the desired heel or toe portions to convert from a sneaker to a sandal or a mule. The All-Dai is vegan, plant-based and multipurpose.

Over 70 MILLION shoes are manufactured EVERY SINGLE DAY. We believe that there is a need to create more thoughtfully designed footwear and we need to create less of it. The All-Dai shoe, by Munjoi, is as clever as can be and does precisely that.

By simply removing the insole and collapsing down the desired knitted heel and toe portions - you can have a sneaker, sandal, mule or open-toe sneaker. After 3 years of developing/designing the concept, in 2021, footwear designer Patrick Hogan was issued a utility patent in the United States and Internationally.

Consumers purchase all different types of footwear based on their specific needs. Sneakers, sandals, and backless mules are just some of the different types of popular footwear. Each type of single function footwear has its own carbon footprint, depletes natural resources, releases toxins, creates waste, and has its own end of life adding to micro-plastics in our land, air, and ocean. The simple idea of combining the benefits of multiple different types of footwear into one singular pair is groundbreaking in regard to reducing the footwear industry's environmental impact. Not only is this better for our planet but this versatility offers more benefits to the consumer as well: Pack less, spend less, and feel good knowing that you are creating a less negative impact on our environment.

The utilitarian All-Dai shoe is stripped down to the bare essentials of only what is needed and nothing more. The goal was to not overdesign or embellish with any extra unnecessary bells or whistles. The entire 3-piece upper is machine knitted to the almost exact shape of each piece, leaving very little waste.

No material or shoe comes without its issues and we quickly admit that no shoe is truly sustainable - rather some shoes are more sustainable than others. We believe in a future with products made from plant-based materials that are both animal cruelty-free and biodegradable. This is why we chose to use a blend of primarily cotton and hemp for our knitted upper and a plant-based EVA consisting of algae waste and sugarcane for our foam cushioning.

MIT researchers found that a typical sneaker will generate around 14 kg of carbon emissions (CO2). Our All-Dai shoe is climate neutral with an industry low carbon footprint. That means, we calculate our total carbon emissions from one pair of shoes (5.87 kg CO2) and then support a carbon offset project (Hydropower for the habitat of mountain gorillas in the Congo) to help lower our footprint to climate neutral.

The multifunctional All-Dai shoe proves that thoughtful design could play one of the largest roles in helping reduce an industry's footprint. Recognition of such an award will help inspire change in an industry that is too slow to admit that the real answer to achieving sustainability is by producing fewer shoes.

The threat of climate change is greater than ever and we all know that footwear, fashion and other global industries are not going away - but by addressing the consumer's needs and giving them better designed products that offer more benefits, in one versatile package, with lower carbon emissions/pollutants is such a brilliant solution! The All-Dai shoe is a revolutionary concept that pushes the boundaries of what's next in footwear and shines a spotlight on the important role of design in helping save the world.