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Kamik boots celebrate 125 years

It’s the winter boot season that’s starting and the Quebec brand Kamik is celebrating its 125th anniversary! For the occasion, we visited its Montreal factory.

Since 1898, Kamik has been making comfortable boots for the whole family that protect feet from the cold. “We have customers who want to enjoy the joys of winter in the countryside or in the city. We update our styles to current tastes, because the market is very competitive. Our strength is the comfort and lightness of the boot. The needs are different: you need a boot for going out to a restaurant, which is resistant to slush and cold, the youngest want boots that look like sneakers… without forgetting the price which must be reasonable,” explains Sophie Ohayon, senior director of brand experience at Kamik. “We see that certain boot models are timeless,” she adds.

What impresses during our visit to the Kamik factory in Montreal, which operates 24 hours a day from Monday to Friday, are the aluminum molds. “They come from Italy, because they are the specialists in the field. There is a different mold for each boot size. Each mold is identified according to the model and size. The mold can be repaired, if necessary, in the factory workshop,” explains Phil Bichai, project manager and responsible for LEAN process optimization.

In the factory, you can clearly see the different stages of boot manufacturing. Linings, called “polyester stockings”, which are found in rain boots, are machine-made there; this is also where the felt seams for winter boots are sewn. The rain boot is then made in a mold, dried, and then packaged. “Quality control is required. We make sure that the boot is solid and weather resistant. We do resistance tests on the boots, tests on humidity, heat, cold [à -20 °C]we make him make a million flex [un million de pas] with a rotating system, and there is no tearing! “, explains Phil Bichai.

Everything is then recycled; scraps and old boots are crushed at the factory. The product is transformed into pellets which will be melted and become waterproof boots.

Kamik boots are sold across Canada, the United States and Europe. Over the years, the company has had to adapt to different climates. “There is development to be done in Europe, the winters are milder. But the seasons change almost everywhere in the world. In the United States there are hurricanes, and here you have to adapt to the new winters, it rains one day, and the next day it’s a snowstorm, so you have to have boots for all needs and all climates! », concludes Sophie Ohayon.

The Bowvember campaign returns

It’s the 10th^e anniversary of the Nœudvember national campaign of the Procure organization dedicated to the fight against prostate cancer, the most common among men. You can now buy the bow tie ($45) signed by designer Philippe Dubuc, and support the cause. Procure wants to raise $1 million through the sale of 7,000 bow ties and the benefit evening to be held on November 30. The 32 ambassadors of the campaign are personalities from all walks of life. There we find in particular the mayor Catherine Fournier, the presenters Sébastien Benoit, Pénélope McQuade, Eve-Marie Lortie, Julie Bélanger, the actor Lou-Pascal Tremblay, the pilot and automobile columnist Bertrand Godin and the freestyle skiers Justine, Chloé and Maxime Dufour- The point.

Tested and approved

A dry oil for everyone

This new two-in-one Atoderm dry oil from Bioderma is designed for the whole family, which is very practical, because children and adults can use it to have hydrated skin. This dry oil is pleasant, very lightly scented and deeply moisturizes thanks to Karanja and jojoba vegetable oils which have nourishing and protective properties for the skin. How to apply it? Warm a few drops of oil between your hands and massage into the skin, especially in drier areas. We see the effects on the skin within a few days, especially at this time of year when we tend to have dry skin; the skin will then be softer.

Bioderma Atoderm 2 in 1 Dry Oil, 150 ml, $33.99

Available in Pharmaprix and Jean Coutu pharmacies