Vapour-permeable shoe

Nominated for the European Inventor Award 2012 in the category Lifetime achievement

Mario Polegato

Inventor: Mario Moretti Polegato

Country: Italy

Invention: Vapour-permeable shoe

Company: GEOX

Looking for a solution to a practical problem, Italian entrepreneur Mario Moretti Polegato set out to create the perfect breathable shoe which would let air in but keep water out. His invention, a waterproof, breathable sole for footgear, with a membrane of vapour-permeable and waterproof material, has revolutionised the footwear industry. And the company he founded in 1995, GEOX, is now one of the largest shoe manufacturers in the world.