An open-foot idea. A design award. NIRUN wins DEmark 2026.

01 / What DEmark recognises

The original announcement records NIRUN’s recognition in Accessories & Wearable Innovation. DEmark’s published criteria consider design ideas, innovation, appearance, value for users, and social or environmental value. The official winner record and criteria are linked below.

This places NIRUN in a design conversation as well as a sporting one. The award recognises the product’s design; it does not establish a particular race time or a health outcome for every wearer.

02 / A sandal, developed for movement

NIRUN was positioned as a carbon-plated Super Sandal: the openness of a sandal, developed with ideas from performance footwear. The original product story identifies four parts of that approach.

Carbon plate concept — a plate integrated into the sandal’s movement system. VEPRO™ foam — developed for rebound, cushioning and comfort. Open structure — space around the forefoot and ventilation. Recovery and performance — a design intended to span running, post-run use and everyday walking.

These are descriptions of NIRUN in the source article, not a specification sheet for every current VING model. Check the current product page for the construction, size and intended use of the model you choose.

03 / Start with the runner’s problem

The brand’s origin story begins with uncomfortable feet during a marathon and a switch to ordinary sandals. Long-distance running can bring swelling, pressure, heat and friction; the design question was whether an open shoe could offer room and comfort while taking performance seriously.

For VING, the useful question is not simply whether a shoe looks different. It is whether its weight, foam, airflow and fit respond to something people actually experience. That is the engineering curiosity behind the design.

04 / A Thai idea with its own direction

Instead of reproducing a familiar enclosed running shoe, VING pursued the space between running sandals, post-run comfort and performance footwear. DEmark adds a design milestone to that work, alongside real product use and field stories.

The wider lesson is practical: innovation can begin with a very specific local problem, then develop into a product with an identity of its own. NIRUN’s story connects that problem to a recognised Thai design outcome.

05 / From a runner’s problem to design excellence

The original story connects three worlds: running sandals, recovery sandals and performance footwear. The carbon plate concept, VEPRO™ foam and open construction give that idea a physical form. Lightness, cushioning, ventilation and room for movement are the design priorities.

For Thai design, the award is a milestone for a product developed from a specific user experience. It is also an invitation to keep asking how technology and form can serve the person wearing them. Explore the original NIRUN product story and DEmark criteria.