SIDAS: Expertise, comfort, and foot performance

Discover the SIDAS brand

SIDAS: The Brand’s Origins and History

SIDAS was founded in 1975 in Voiron, in the Isère region, by three ski instructors: Loïc David, Jacques Martin, and Gabriel Pellicot. The idea took root a few years earlier, quite unexpectedly: Loïc David noticed footprints in the sand on a beach in Hawaii and decided to create a customizable insole, based on the observation that every foot is unique. With no equipment at his disposal, he made his first molds using a simple baking dish from his kitchen in the Dauphiné region.

Ten years after its founding, the company made a name for itself in the professional world by supporting athletes in the skiing community. In 1985, under the guidance of podiatrist and orthotist Patrick Boismal, SIDAS expanded into the medical sector with the launch of the Podiatech brand. Then, starting in 1995, the brand began developing products for hiking, running, golf, and cycling.

Did you know?

The name SIDAS is an acronym for “Société d’Importation et de Distribution d’Articles de Sport” (Sports Goods Import and Distribution Company), because to finance their innovation, the three founders initially decided to distribute other brands.

Product Development and Innovations at SIDAS

SIDAS is built on four core values: innovation, passion, performance, and commitment. The brand recognized early on that foot health has a direct impact on performance and well-being, which is why its designers work closely with podiatrists, orthopedists, engineers, doctors, biomechanists, osteopaths, and shoemakers.

At the heart of SIDAS’s innovation lies thermoforming: by heating the material, it is made flexible so it can be molded directly to the foot, which imprints its shape before the material hardens and retains it. This technology enables several levels of customization: the 3Feet line offers an insole tailored to each type of arch (high, medium, low); Flashfit allows for 75% thermoforming; and the Custom model offers 100% customization.

In 2013, SIDAS acquired the Therm-ic brand, a specialist in heating products, and then in 2019 the Qenoa brand, an expert in natural care for feet, legs, and the body. Therm-ic, founded in the Alps in the 1970s, develops a complete range of heating and insulating products: gloves, insoles, hand warmers, socks, and batteries.

Products offered by the SIDAS brand

SIDAS positions itself as the partner for anyone seeking the best technology, for every foot, for every sport, and for everyday life. The range covers three main categories:

• Insoles are at the heart of the brand’s expertise, with models designed for skiing, snowboarding, hiking, trail running, and everyday use.
• Technical socks are designed sport by sport, incorporating targeted reinforcements in the pressure zones specific to each activity.
• Finally, protective gear and accessories round out the SIDAS offering: gel heel pads, ankle guards, foot warmers, shoe dryers, and anti-ice cleats.

SIDAS’s Eco-Responsible Commitment

SIDAS strives to minimize the environmental impact of its operations through concrete actions: FSC-certified packaging, responsible sourcing from Imprim'vert-certified printers, an eco-responsible approach throughout the entire product lifecycle, and support for tree-planting projects in the Vercors Massif.

The brand takes its mission a step further: the Sidas World Foundation, created in September 2022 and hosted by the Fondation de France, works to preserve and restore natural ecosystems—particularly forests—by partnering with local stakeholders