Dallasite May Wong is saving our soles with a greater mission of giving back to the community. Her idea for Solebag started with her own personal dilemma when traveling with precious cargo: shoes.
“I had to use plastic bags, which wasn’t ideal,” she says. “My heels would pierce the bags, the shoes would scuff and I’d have to go on separate grocery excursions to acquire new bags.”
Her first prototype, which she sewed herself a few years ago, was unlike an ordinary shoe bag, because it had a separator to divide the pair. “I didn’t want my shoes to rub against each other,” Wong says.
As those with a fondness for footwear know, not all shoes come with bags to keep them pristine, and even designer heels that do come with shoe bags don’t have a separator to protect each shoe individually. When Wong realized she wasn’t alone in this “traveling shoe trauma,” she decided to launch Solebag.
Whether your kicks cost $40 or $400, Solebags help keep them in tip-top shape. The bags, with a built-in separator and drawstring closure, are carefully constructed with a silky, washable material and a light padding for protection in suitcases.
Solebags come in seven different colors with a black exterior. They are available in two different sizes: small for flats, wedges and sneakers; and medium for high pumps, thick wedges and high-top sneakers. Wong is also working on a bag for tall boots.
In addition to her efforts to keep production as local as possible, Wong is dedicated to helping low-income schools by donating a portion of the company’s net proceeds via Donorschoose.org. Solebags are currently available online for $27.99.
Solebags protect your shoes from scuffing when you travel.
