A new Portland footwear company, Crosskix Footwear & Apparel Co., has launched a
Kickstarter campaign with a May 7 deadline. The campaign on Wednesday had $55,512 in pledges and 991 backers.
Crosskix produces footwear that looks like a running shoe but has an upper as well as sole made from EVA (soft foam composite). Promotional materials compare Crosskix with Crocs footwear.
The Kickstarter campaign is designed to pre-sell the brand's first designs to start production.
“We believe there’s definitely a void in this category for a more sportier, stylish, and functional shoe,” Crosskix founder Eric Saligumba said in a news release.
The news release says the shoe has been in the production phase -- designing, testing, sample producing -- for four years.
The company says it has a recycling plan to repair and donate returned shoes to needy people worldwide. Customers who donate used footwear receive a 15 percent discount on their next pair, the company says.
-- Allan Brettman