Hardware Podcasts

How Stylish Steel-Toe Shoes are Empowering Women in Industry | An Interview with Xena Workwear CEO Ana Kraft

Manufacturing Happy Hour · 9 Dec 2019 · 42m

What this episode covers

Ana Kraft, Co-Founder and CEO of Xena Workwear, explains how she identified a gap in the market for stylish, compliant steel-toe footwear for women after struggling with bulky, masculine designs during her career in project management. She details the company's journey from prototyping to launch, highlighting the technical challenges of meeting ASTM safety standards, including slip, chemical, and static dissipative resistance. Kraft discusses the broader mission of Xena Workwear to empower women in STEM and industrial fields by boosting confidence through professional appearance, while also outlining upcoming expansions into functional apparel like blazers with integrated safety features.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Xena Workwear, Rockwell Automation, Cat, Facebook
Also
Chi Beta, Marquette University

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