In a saturated sneaker market where brands like Nike, Adidas, and New Balance dominate the spotlight, the emergence of While on Earth offers a refreshing approach to footwear—focusing less on athletic performance metrics and more on promoting holistic wellness and lifestyle. Much like Sweetgreen revolutionized the fast-casual dining experience by creating an aspirational wellness culture around salads, While on Earth hopes to do the same with shoes, creating a brand that represents health, community, and self-improvement.
Founded by CrossFit champions Mat Fraser and Brooke Wells, along with industry veteran Todd Meleney, While on Earth is setting itself apart by building a lifestyle shoe that emphasizes comfort, versatility, and understated style. Their debut product, the Move Trainer, aims to be the ideal footwear for people constantly on the move—from the gym to the office and from casual outings to the occasional weekend adventure.
A Fresh Perspective: Shoes for Wellness, Not Just Workouts
Instead of looking to other athletic shoe giants for inspiration, While on Earth’s founders took cues from wellness brands like Olipop, Athletic Brewing, and Sweetgreen. Their focus wasn’t on outperforming competitors in gym-based metrics but on cultivating a feeling of community, health, and connection around their product.
“Where do these customers live and breathe?” asks cofounder Todd Meleney. “They go from Barry’s Bootcamp to Sweetgreen to Whole Foods. They want to understand the purpose behind the company. They also want to be part of a community. People go to Sweetgreen because of how they feel afterward—healthy and closer to becoming a future version of themselves.” By aligning their brand values with a wellness-forward community, While on Earth hopes to offer more than just a functional product.
Introducing the Move Trainer: A Shoe for Every Occasion
The Move Trainer, priced at $150, is a shoe designed with versatility in mind. It doesn’t scream “athletic” but maintains the supportive structure of a workout shoe. Crafted in four neutral colorways—white/mist, beet/oat, dune/citron, and seaport/oat—the Move Trainer is intended to blend seamlessly into various aspects of daily life.
With a performance knit fabric as its outer layer and an abrasion-resistant TPU material reinforcing its edges, the Move Trainer is both comfortable and durable. The shoe is designed to adapt to different environments, ensuring wearers can go from a morning workout to a coffee meeting, and even to a casual dinner—all in one pair.
“Mat and I kept asking ourselves, ‘How can we make this the only shoe you’d need to take on a weekend trip?’” says Meleney. “You can wear it to a morning workout, a farmer’s market run, sightseeing, and dinner out. It’s about versatility without sacrificing style or comfort.”
Crafting Wellness-Driven Design: The Move Trainer’s Unique Style
The team behind While on Earth realized that to capture their wellness-driven message, the Move Trainer needed to avoid the typical, sometimes over-the-top design cues of athletic shoes. Instead, the design had to be versatile and unobtrusive, a shoe that could suit an outfit for almost any occasion.
Six Design Pillars
The design team, led by Samantha Noyes, developed six guiding adjectives: comfortable, beautiful, high-performing, versatile, wearable, and timeless. Every decision, from materials to color palette, had to pass this test. If a design element didn’t align with these pillars, it was revised or replaced.
“Every step in the process involved gut checks against these adjectives,” says Noyes. “We wanted it to feel approachable—something you’d feel good about wearing anywhere. It’s not often a team’s vision stays true the entire time, but we managed to keep these core adjectives front and center throughout the design process.”
Engineering the Move Trainer: Balancing Comfort and Performance
With versatility as a core aim, While on Earth developed a proprietary knit fabric for the Move Trainer’s upper material called Thrive Knit. This innovation combines comfort and performance, offering stretch and support in areas that need it most. The brand went through extensive testing to ensure the shoe could endure both everyday wear and rigorous workouts.
For instance, the shoe’s tongue structure and the reinforcement around high-stress areas were meticulously engineered to endure repetitive use. “The knit construction was a challenge, but we wanted something that feels like a second skin without losing support,” explains Meleney.
The final product is a sneaker that’s not only comfortable and durable but also versatile enough to complement a range of outfits. According to Noyes, the goal was to create a shoe that “could match your sweater when you go out to dinner.” This emphasis on aesthetic cohesion allows the Move Trainer to seamlessly transition across different settings, fulfilling While on Earth’s mission of creating the ultimate all-purpose shoe.
Building a Brand with a Purpose: “While on Earth”
The name While on Earth itself is a nod to a broader purpose, resonating with consumers who seek meaningful, value-driven products. This brand identity, Noyes explains, reflects an ethos of maximizing one’s time and potential. Much like Athletic Brewing, which champions a healthy, alcohol-free lifestyle, While on Earth aims to cater to customers who prioritize wellness in every aspect of life.
Meleney views While on Earth’s target demographic as people who make deliberate choices to pursue health and personal growth, whether they’re running a marathon, practicing yoga, or choosing to drink nonalcoholic beer. “The name ‘While on Earth’ reflects a desire to maximize life’s opportunities,” he says. “Our brand stands for those who want to feel good in their bodies, live purposefully, and reach their full potential.”
Brand Cohesion in Visuals and Tone
While on Earth’s branding extends beyond the product to its visual identity. Every element, from the logo’s rounded typography to the muted color palette, was chosen to convey warmth, approachability, and inclusivity. Noyes emphasizes that aggressive designs—sharp lines or neon colors, for instance—would have felt out of place and undermined the brand’s welcoming, community-oriented message.
“We want the product and the brand to feel inviting,” says Noyes. “Aggressive designs can make people feel excluded. Our goal was to create an aesthetic that’s warm, soft, and welcoming.” This design philosophy is intended to appeal to a wide audience, inviting them into a lifestyle rather than simply selling a shoe.
Conclusion: More Than Just a Shoe
While on Earth is more than a footwear brand; it’s a mission-driven company aiming to make a difference in how people feel and live. By aligning with wellness brands that emphasize a sense of community and healthy living, it’s carving out a unique space in the lifestyle and footwear market. Through the Move Trainer, the founders are creating a product that offers comfort, versatility, and purpose—much like how Sweetgreen created an experience around food.
For individuals constantly on the move, who want a shoe that complements their commitment to health and wellness, the Move Trainer offers an ideal solution. As the brand grows, its founders hope that customers will see While on Earth not just as a shoe company, but as a partner in their journey toward a more fulfilling life. With its ethos of mindfulness and commitment to quality, While on Earth might just become the Sweetgreen of footwear—offering more than just a product, but a lifestyle choice that reflects values and aspirations.
FAQs
- What sets While on Earth apart from other athletic shoe brands?
- While on Earth focuses on wellness and versatility, aiming to create a product that supports an active lifestyle both in and out of the gym. It aligns more with lifestyle brands than traditional athletic wear.
- Who are the founders of While on Earth?
- The company was co-founded by CrossFit champions Mat Fraser and Brooke Wells, along with Todd Meleney, who brings extensive experience in branding and wellness-oriented product development.
- What is Thrive Knit, and how does it impact the shoe’s performance?
- Thrive Knit is a proprietary material designed to offer both comfort and high performance. It provides stretch and support, with reinforcement in high-wear areas to ensure durability and comfort.
- How does While on Earth’s brand ethos align with wellness values?
- The brand emphasizes living life to the fullest and making choices that support health and wellness. It seeks to provide footwear that fits seamlessly into an active, health-conscious lifestyle.
- Can the Move Trainer be worn outside of athletic settings?
- Yes, the Move Trainer is designed to be versatile, so it’s suitable for a range of activities—from workouts to casual outings and even more formal social events.
