Mao Ting Builds 17-Store Sunnystep Footwear Brand
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- Mao Ting designed a pair of lightweight, supportive shoes after a spinal injury left her unable to walk or sit, seeking relief during a two-year recovery with no medical solution.
- Sunnystep launched from Mao Ting’s prototype, evolving into a regional brand with 12 outlets in Singapore, three in Malaysia, and two in Indonesia.
- Mao Ting collaborated with a small shoe manufacturer in China over WeChat for six months, producing a minimalist, laceless design that reduced strain on her back and supported mobility.
- Sunnystep gained early traction when customers at pop-up bazaars praised the comfort and support, leading to waitlists and the opening of its first permanent store in Square 2 by late 2019.
- Sunnystep shifted storage from Mao’s family backyard to a warehouse as demand grew during the pandemic, fueled by the trend for comfortable work-from-home footwear.
- Mao Ting emphasized that proper footwear supports whole-body health, citing biomechanical research and in-house consultation with experts from MIT and Boston Children's Hospital on stress-minimizing designs.
- Sunnystep shoes feature wider toe boxes and arch support to reflect natural foot shape, challenging narrow designs in conventional footwear that Mao says can distort feet over time.
Why it matters: Mao Ting turned a personal health crisis into a scalable consumer solution, capturing demand for medically informed yet stylish footwear — a niche overlooked by mainstream brands. With 17 physical outlets and biomechanically grounded design, Sunnystep demonstrates how lived experience can drive product innovation that aligns with rising consumer focus on functional self-care.
