Abstract: A METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A HANDS-FREE MOLDED SHOE may include placing a substrate insert into a first shoe mold where the substrate insert includes a heel insert, providing a first plastic to the first shoe mold to yield a substrate, placing the substrate and an overmold insert into a second shoe mold, and providing a second plastic to the second shoe mold to yield a shoe. The first plastic has a greater hardness than the second plastic.

Abstract: A HANDS-FREE MOLDED SHOE may include a uniformly molded slip-on shoe having features to facilitate hands-free wearing. Such features may include use of a greater hardness plastic in a heel counter portion of the shoe and lesser hardness plastic in an upper and/or sole portion of the shoe. The heel counter portion may be configured to deform into a new configuration under the load of a user's foot as it enters a shoe opening, and return to its original configuration once the foot is inside the show. The heel counter portion may further have an S-wave shaped vertical cross section at a rearmost position. Methods of manufacture of a HFMS may include the use of an upper insert and a sole insert as well as a heel insert having a securing mechanism to secure the heel insert to a core portion of a shoe mold.

Abstract: A METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A HANDS-FREE MOLDED SHOE may include placing a substrate insert into a first shoe mold where the substrate insert includes a heel insert, providing a first plastic to the first shoe mold to yield a substrate, placing the substrate and an overmold insert into a second shoe mold, and providing a second plastic to the second shoe mold to yield a shoe. The first plastic has a greater hardness than the second plastic.

Abstract: A HANDS-FREE MOLDED SHOE may include a uniformly molded slip-on shoe having features to facilitate hands-free wearing. Such features may include use of a greater hardness plastic in a heel counter portion of the shoe and lesser hardness plastic in an upper and/or sole portion of the shoe. The heel counter portion may be configured to deform into a new configuration under the load of a user's foot as it enters a shoe opening, and return to its original configuration once the foot is inside the show. The heel counter portion may further have an S-wave shaped vertical cross section at a rearmost position. Methods of manufacture of a HFMS may include the use of an upper insert and a sole insert as well as a heel insert having a securing mechanism to secure the heel insert to a core portion of a shoe mold.