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Musinsa doubles funding for orthopedic footwear initiative
A closer look at the specialized orthopedic shoes engineered by online fashion retailer Musinsa under its MUVE campaign, which creates adaptive clothing and footwear for people with physical disabilities. Courtesy of Musinsa
By Lee Kyung-min
A well-fitting pair of shoes can transform everyday life, and Musinsa is expanding a program aimed at doing just that for people with mobility disabilities by doubling the number of custom orthopedic shoes it will provide this year.
The fashion platform said Wednesday it will support 20 recipients through its MUVE project, twice as many as last year, in partnership with the Seongdong District Office and the Miral Welfare Foundation.
The initiative provides custom orthopedic shoes for people who cannot wear commercially available footwear because of congenital or acquired foot deformities, impaired foot function or differences in leg length.
Each pair is individually designed using detailed measurements and handcrafted production to match the recipient's physical condition.
Musinsa said it has fully funded the program each year under a public-private partnership launched in 2024 to help people who cannot afford the high cost of custom orthopedic footwear.
The company is also working with Haram Workshop, a specialist orthopedic shoe manufacturer in Seongsu-dong's handmade shoe district, as part of its effort to support local small businesses while expanding community welfare.
The first round of applications opened in April, and 10 recipients from the Seoul metropolitan area, ranging from school-age children to older adults, were selected.
The company said detailed foot measurements and gait scans have been completed, and production is underway, with all shoes scheduled for delivery by the end of July.
A guardian of a 10-year-old recipient said the child has experienced severe walking difficulties because of a shortened Achilles tendon and severe flat feet, limiting everyday activities, including school life.
The guardian said they hope the custom shoes will allow the child to enjoy ordinary outings and family trips more comfortably.
A woman in her 60s selected for the program said the high cost of replacing her worn corrective shoes had forced her to limit outdoor activities because of chronic pain and the risk of falling.
Musinsa said it plans to begin accepting applications for the second round of the program in August after completing the first production cycle later this month.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.