Gamar Italia, between technicality and fashion

Eyelets and hooks that combine style and performance are the new stars of Gamar research. Leading performer at Lineapelle the new Quick-Off lace lock

From the know-how of Gamar, a Vigevano-based company specializing in the design and production of accessories and components for footwear in the fashion, outdoor and safety fields, comes Quick-Off. A protagonist at the last edition of Lineapelle, the innovative eyelet lace lock – patented and entirely made in Italy, with in-house production – is a real gem that creates added value for fashion shoes, but also technical ones. Another innovation not to be missed are the fashion eyelets and hooks. Riccardo Penaca, technical department manager, tells us about them.
Riccardo Penaca, what is the role of Quick-Off?
“The traditional function of an eyelet is to prevent the closure string, subjected to continuous stress, from deforming and tearing the upper near the hole. The eyelet is a reinforcement within which the lace can slide without too much friction. Quick-Off adds to the concept of sliding and locking functionality. The locking option in the eyelet body is particularly useful for work shoes and high-performance athletic footwear, as it raises the tightness and security guarantees of the lace-up lacing. Within the outline of the Quick-Off hole there is a free zone, where the lace moves as it traditionally does in an eyelet, and a second restriction zone where the lace can be dragged to achieve immediate locking and prevent it from sliding. This is done through a simple, intuitive and quick gesture, accommodating the natural bio-mechanical movement of the hand during the knotting phase of the string. We have made a revolution in the accessory since the lace, once brought into the locking slot, it remains stationary in the given setting, without a loss in tension, also facilitating the execution of the final knot hold. Conversely, to release the lace from the restriction, it is sufficient to pull the latter in the opposite direction from the direction of pull.”
In what materials has it been made?
“It is offered in the zamak version with an underlying brass eyelet and in the nylon model with a perimeter flange to be sewn under the upper. The former lends itself more to the fashion sector, the other to the technical sector. Think, for example, of climbing shoes where every detail needs to be essential, compact, minimal, and free of protrusions that could create the risk of snagging on rocks or brushwood: Quick-Off is certainly stronger and smaller than a traditional hook, and offers more guarantees against the risk of breakage. Depending on the needs, it can be made entirely of Ecobrass for the big labels or, in the line of sustainability, also in natural and environmentally sustainable biopolymers.”
What are the advantages of Quick-Off over the solutions in use today of lace lockers?
“An important advantage is that this system can be mounted completely flush or just above the upper, as in our standard zamak version where it overlooks it by a couple of millimeters, in order to obtain very clean and minimal models. The designers have full freedom of expression on how much and how to enhance the accessory in the overall design of the shoe. In the nylon version, the chances of creating more daring models and shapes increase: in some cases, Quick-Off is sewn between the upper and lining, leaving only the essential to appear right where the hole is located. The result is an almost invisible buttonhole, for a brand-new style.”
What about the assembly and customization steps? Are there any difficulties?
“It is very easy to assemble, requiring no special equipment, even a sewing machine or a manual press equipped with a punch are enough. Obviously, it is customizable only in the outer part, which can take on different colours and shapes: at the patent deposition stage, we studied the maximum possible interpretations to extend its protection to the extreme. The inner part, on the other hand, must respect certain technical standards that are also meticulously patented. Given the myriad of laces available, the accessory must be calibrated and set according to the needs of the customer. We have launched a standard model, which in the case can be developed depending on the string – cloth, waxed, small, large, etc. Therefore, the technical comparison between us and the client company is basic and of utmost importance, as we have to work on numerous aspects – aesthetics, functionality, tightness, etc.”
What are its fields of application?
“It is an ideal accessory for safety, trekking, and sports footwear, but it can also have endless applications in casual wear, to follow in leather goods, clothing, and then again in furniture, curtains, and much more. It is a small invention with great added value, in line with the trend that rewards a strong contamination between fashion and technical application.”
And what about the cost?
“The cost is virtually the same as that of a traditional eyelet, but it can vary depending on the degree of customization, the type of design and the study behind it.”
What other innovations did you launched during 2022?
“Fashion seems to be focusing on the customization of eyelets and hooks. We presented a type of fashion eyelets characterized by the use, as in Quick-Off, of two different materials, brass and zamak for both the underlying and surface parts. Compared with traditional sheared iron, brass offers significantly higher quality and tightness of riveting, while zamak enables aesthetic details unattainable with other production materials to be achieved at lower cost. Sharp surface changes, concavities, stitched effects, strokes, overhangs, slots, depths – we are daring to create a ‘Wow’ factor and express the full potential of machining. The only limit is creativity. We then developed a myriad of zamak shoelace hooks to meet needs of a purely aesthetic nature, designed to enhance fashion footwear through bold, charged, elaborate shapes that can draw attention to the detail. In short, we have indulged ourselves, once again riding the trend toward contaminations between technical and fashion. Another successful innovation is the chain link buckle, an unprecedented design that follows a very trendy theme, beautiful and elegant like a chain but without an added cost of making and assembling it.”