This footwear from the Swiss Barefoot Company is designed to protect wearers' feet by wrapping them in Dyneema – a fabric stronger than steel and Kevlar (+ slideshow).

Created for use during activities that would usually require participants to be barefoot, the Free Your Feet (FYF) shoes are designed to prevent cuts and bruises.

They feature glove-like pockets for each toe and are woven from what the Swiss Barefoot Company claims is "the world's strongest fibre".

The fabric is woven from Dyneema fibre – a type of polyethylene with a high molecular mass – which its manufacturer DSM claims is stronger than Kevlar, and 15 times stronger than steel.

The material repels water, and the dot-patterned sole helps maintain a secure grip on slippery surfaces such as on a surfboard.

Available in standard and low-cut designs for men and women, the FYF shoes fit more like socks – intended to be easy to put on and take off.

"We wanted to create a product that helps athletes regain a natural barefoot feeling within their favourite sport," founder Dieter Hesch said in a statement.

Hesch is a dedicated kiteboarder and it was his own experience of injuries received while boarding that prompted him to design footwear that would replicate the barefoot feeling.

"FYF increases your performance safely, and with a new sense of security," Hesch said.

The shoes met their initial funding target of $10,000 (£6,400) on Kickstarter shortly after their launch and had surpassed $170,000 (£110,000) at the time of publishing – with 17 days of the campaign still left.

Over 2,000 people have already pledged their support, and the company claims this makes it one of the fastest-funded clothing products in Kickstarter history.

Similarly, sportswear brand Adidas recently launched a prototype shoe designed by Alexander Taylor with an upper made entirely from yarns and filaments, produced using plastic salvaged from the ocean.