US20170238627A1

US20170238627A1 - Cushioning apparel accessory

Info

Publication number: US20170238627A1
Application number: US15/046,785
Authority: US
Inventors: Tristen M. Johnson; Joshua W. Johnson
Original assignee: Joshua Johnson Creative Inc
Current assignee: Joshua Johnson Creative Inc
Priority date: 2016-02-18
Filing date: 2016-02-18
Publication date: 2017-08-24

Abstract

A cushioning apparatus is provided including a gel-like body including a strap retaining channel sized and shaped to engage with a clothing strap of a garment therein and to fit between the clothing strap and a wearer of the garment. The gel-like body may include a bottom portion of a first material and a top portion attached the bottom portion, the bottom portion of a second material different from the first material. A clothing strap cushioning system is also provided including a garment having at least one clothing strap configured to be worn on a portion of a wearer's body and a cushioning member removably attached to a portion of the clothing strap, and including a retaining channel sized and shaped to hold the clothing strap therein and to fit between the clothing strap and a wearer of the garment.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

Aspects of the present invention relate generally to apparel accessories or apparatuses and, in particular, to cushioning apparatuses which provide cushioning from clothing straps.

BACKGROUND

Many types of women's clothing and swimwear include straps or strings around the neck or over the shoulders. Such straps often aid in supporting a portion of a wearer's body. The straps may exert the entire weight which they support on a very small area of the back of the neck or the shoulders, thus creating a pressure pinch point at that area. This often results in discomfort at such pinch points behind the neck or on the shoulders where the straps support a majority of the weight. This discomfort may be especially enhanced when the straps are particularly thin or where the straps tie in a knot behind the neck or at the shoulders, e.g., as found in many bikini and halter tops, often leaving an impression in the skin. Further, because such clothing is typically part of summer wear, the discomfort may be further heightened if the wearer has sunburns at the above-described pinch points.
In that regard, there exists a need to ease the discomfort associated with the aforementioned clothing types that does not impair the functionality of the clothing.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. The summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure. It is neither intended to identify key or critical elements of the disclosure nor to delineate the scope of the disclosure. The following summary merely presents some concepts of the disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to the description below.
In light of the above, aspects described herein are directed to cushioning apparatus including a gel-like body including a strap holding feature or a strap holding channel configured to hold a clothing strap of a garment therein when the garment is worn by a wearer. The gel-like body may include a bottom portion and a top portion attached to the bottom portion. The bottom portion may be a first type of silicone material and the top portion may be a second type of silicone material.
In some implementations, the strap holding feature may include a channel disposed along at least a portion of an upper surface of the gel-like body. The channel is configured to retain the clothing strap therein and to separate at least a portion of the clothing strap from the wearer. In some implementations, the gel-like body may include raised sections at opposing lateral ends of an upper surface of the gel-like body and an indent in a middle portion of the upper surface.
In some implementations, the strap holding feature may include one or more overhanging portions disposed along at least a portion of an upper surface of the gel-like body. Each of the one or more overhanging portions may form a channel for retaining the clothing strap therein and for separating at least a portion of the clothing strap from the wearer. In some implementations, the strap holding feature may be include a plurality of routing holes extending from an upper surface of the gel-like body to a lower surface of the gel-like body. The plurality of routing holes may be configured to secure the clothing strap on the upper surface of the gel-like body when the clothing strap is looped therethrough. In some aspects, the plurality of routing holes may include exactly four routing holes.
In another aspect, a clothing strap cushioning system includes a garment and a cushioning member. The garment may have at least one clothing strap configured to be worn on a portion of a wearer's body. The cushioning member may be removably attached to a portion of the clothing strap and may include a holding member configured to hold a portion of the clothing strap therein and to separate a portion of the clothing strap from the wearer. In some aspects, the cushioning member may include various aspects of the cushioning apparatus as described herein.
In yet another aspect, a cushioning apparatus includes a cushioning member, a fabric covering over the cushion member, and a retaining member. The retaining member may be hingedly affixed to a side of the fabric covering and removably attached to an opposite side of the fabric covering. The retaining member may be configured to detach from the opposite side of the fabric covering to receive a clothing strap and to reattach to the opposite side of the fabric covering to secure the clothing strap in place. In some implementations, the cushioning apparatus may include a snap button or a hook and loop closure member for removably attaching the retaining member to the fabric covering.
Further aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not limited in the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a cushioning apparatus, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 2 depicts a top view of the cushioning apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of a cushioning apparatus including overhanging portions, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 4 depicts a top view of the cushioning apparatus of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 depicts a cross section taken through line 5-5 of FIG.4.

FIG. 6A depicts a perspective view of a cushioning apparatus including routing holes, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 6B depicts a top view of the cushioning apparatus of FIG. 6B.

FIG. 7A-C depict the apparel accessories of FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, respectively, supporting a clothing strap therein, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIGS. 8A and 8B depict perspective views of a cushioning apparatus having a fabric covering and retaining member in an open position and a closed position, respectively, according to one or more aspects described herein.

FIG. 9 depicts a clothing strap cushioning system, according to one or more aspects described herein.

Further, it is to be understood that the drawings may represent the scale of different components of one single embodiment; however, the disclosed embodiments are not limited to that particular scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure may be embodied in a number of different forms. The specification and drawings that follow describe and disclose some of the specific forms of the present disclosure.
Aspects of this disclosure relate to a cushioning apparatus, otherwise referred to as a clothing strap cushioning apparatus or a cushioning apparel accessory. The cushioning apparatus may include a bottom portion, a top portion, and a retaining feature disposed along at least a portion of a length of the top portion, for retaining a clothing strap therein. The cushioning apparatus may separate at least a portion of the clothing strap from a wearer and provide enhanced comfort. Articles of apparel, when worn in combination with the cushioning apparatus of the present disclosure allow such an article to be worn for extended periods of time with enhanced comfort. Aspects of the disclosure further relate to the cushioning apparatus in connection with various articles of apparel as listed herein.
In the following description of the various embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. And in which is shown by way of illustration various embodiments in which aspects of the disclosure may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modification may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a cushioning apparatus 100. In one aspect, the cushioning apparatus 100 provides comfort to a wearer of an article of clothing having one or more straps or strings. In this regard, the cushioning apparatus 100 may have a gel-like body to provide cushioning between the clothing straps and the wearer, particularly at a point where the most pressure is applied to the wearer, as described herein. In some examples, the cushioning apparatus may be worn with clothing articles that tie behind the neck (e.g., the sole of the neck), with clothing articles having straps at the shoulders or on a lower portion of the back, or with any other similar piece of clothing having strings, ties or straps that come into contact with the wearer and/or create one or more pinch points. However, additional applications for the cushioning apparatus 100 may be envisioned beyond the examples presented herein, and without departing from the scope of these disclosures.
In one implementation, the cushioning apparatus 100 may have a gel-like body including a bottom portion 120 and a top portion 140 attached to the bottom portion 120. The top portion 140 may be affixed to the bottom portion 120. For example, the top portion 140 may be cured or permanently bonded in place on the bottom portion 120. The top portion 140 and bottom portion 120 may have substantially the same length and width and/or similar overall shape. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, both the top portion 140 and bottom portion 120 include substantially the same curvatures along the length of the cushioning apparatus 100 to provide a smooth external contour. An upper side of the bottom portion 120 and a lower side of the top portion 140 may each be substantially flat, and/or of otherwise complementary in shape such that they may be uniformly attached to one another, e.g., using an adhesive. Alternatively, the cushioning apparatus 100 may have a unitary body or a substantially unitary body.
The bottom side of cushioning apparatus 100, e.g., a side configured to directly contact the wear, is preferably substantially planar and flexible. The top side of the cushioning apparatus 100, e.g., a side configured to retain a clothing strap, is preferably durable and wear-resistant.
As described herein, various articles of clothing which include strings, ties, and/or thin straps may create a pinch point where the bulk of weight supported by the clothing article is held up. The cushioning apparatus 100 may also provide weight distribution, e.g., across the sole of the neck. The cushioning apparatus 100 may include a strap holding feature to hold and/or retain a portion of the clothing strap therein and to separate a portion of the clothing strap from the wearer. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, channel 180 is disposed along at least a portion of a length of the top side of the body, or more specifically the top side of top portion 140. The channel 180 is configured to position and center a clothing strap therein such that the cushioning apparatus 100 retains the clothing strap and separates at least a portion of the clothing strap from the wearer. The channel 180 is a groove disposed between a pair of raised portions 181 having a higher height than channel 180, such that when the apparatus 100 is worn, tension on the clothing strap provides a force sufficient to hold the clothing strap in the channel 180. The cushioning apparatus 100 may also include one or more curves along the length of the body, e.g., on both the bottom portion 120 and top portion 140.
Certain clothing straps are configured to be tied in a bow and/or a knot. Accordingly, the cushioning apparatus 100 may include indent 150 in a middle region of the top portion 140 to accommodate a knot or a bow or other enlarged region of the clothing strap. For example, indent 150 may be a strap attachment receiving region defined in channel 180 to accommodate portions of the clothing strap, such as a knot or a bow. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, indent 150 may be defined by a width W1 in channel 180 that is wider than a width W2 in other portions of channel 180. In some examples, width W1 may be at least 20% greater than width W2. In some examples, width W1 may be between 10% and 30% greater than width W2. Still in some examples, width W1 may be less than 10% or more than 30% greater than width W2, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In some examples, a depth of indent 150 into the cushioning apparatus 100 may be between 20% and 40% of the thickness of cushioning apparatus. In other examples, the depth of indent 150 may be less than 20% or greater than 40% without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In some examples, a depression in the bottom of indent 150 may be included, e.g., to accommodate a knot or a bow.
As shown in FIG. 7A, the cushioning apparatus 100 supports clothing straps 113 therein. Indent 150 is defined in channel 180 as a strap attachment receiving region have a larger width than other portions of channel 180, e.g., portions at opposing ends of channel 180. Thus, indent 150 in channel 180 supports a knot or a bow 114 formed by tying ends of the clothing straps 113.
In second embodiment, a cushioning apparatus may include one or more flexible overhanging portions to retain or assist in retaining a clothing strap therein. With references to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, a cushioning apparatus 300 may include a bottom portion 320 and a top portion 340 attached to the bottom portion 320 as previously described, or may alternatively be of a unitary construction. Overhanging portions 360 may be disposed proximate to a channel 380 to secure the clothing strap in the channel 380. In other words, the channel 380 may position a clothing strap centrally therein and overhanging portions 360 may assist in retaining the clothing strap in the channel 380. For example, overhanging portions 360 may extend upward from an upper surface of sides of top portion 340 adjacent to channel 380 and may extend inward so as to overhang at least a portion of channel 380.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, two pairs of overhanging portions 360 may be positioned at opposite longitudinal sides of the cushioning apparatus. However, in some examples, only one pair of overhanging portions 360 may be provided, e.g., extending along a middle portion of the length of the cushioning apparatus 300 or substantially the entire length of the cushioning apparatus 300. Still in some examples, more than two pairs of overhanging portions 360 may be provided on cushioning apparatus 300 without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In some examples, an even number of overhanging portions, e.g., the same number of overhanging portions on both longitudinal sides of the cushioning apparatus, may allow for a clothing strap to be supported more evenly on the cushioning apparatus. Further, in some examples, a higher number of overhanging portions may provide better retention of the clothing strap in the cushioning apparatus.
In some aspects, overhanging portions 360 may be provided on a cushioning apparatus 300 without a channel 380 extending the entire length of cushioning apparatus, e.g., only in regions between or underneath overhanging portions 360. Still in some other aspects, channel 380 may only be provided at locations corresponding to the overhanging portions, e.g., a channel 380 may be provided at opposite longitudinal ends of top portion 340 proximate to each of the pairs of overhanging portions 360 and in a middle portion therebetween there is no channel or the channel may be shallower than in regions near the overhanging portions 360.
The overhanging portions 360 may be formed on the top portion 340, extending upward from the top portion 340 and inward, so as to extend towards and above channel 380. Portions of the overhanging portions 360 located higher upward and/or closer to the center may be thinner than portions located further outward, such that the overhanging portions 360 may more easily bend or flex when placing a clothing strap therein or removing a clothing strap therefrom. An opening between the respective sides of overhanging portions 360 may be narrower than a typical clothing strap and the overhanging portions 360 may be sufficiently flexible to allow a clothing strap to fit therethrough. Such overhanging portions 360 may be configured to securely retain a clothing strap, even during intervals of activity and/or exercise.
As shown in FIG. 7B, a pair of clothing straps 313 are retained in cushioning apparatus 300 having two overhanging portions 360. Clothing straps 313 pass under the overhanging portions 360 and tie in a knot or a bow 314 in a middle region between overhanging portions 360, e.g., in a channel 380.
Referring to FIG. 5, a cross section of cushioning apparatus 300 taken through line 5-5 is shown. A thickness of cushioning apparatus 300 may be greatest at cross-sectional locations corresponding to the overhanging portion 360, such as shown in FIG. 5. The top portion 340 may be generally thicker than the bottom portion 320 along the entire length and width of the cushioning apparatus. As described below, top portion 340 may be composed of different materials than bottom portion 320, e.g., top portion 240 may be composed of a first type of silicone and bottom portion 320 may be composed of a second type of silicone.
In some examples, the bottom portion 320 may be of uniform thickness over the entire length and thickness, while the thickness of top portion may vary due to certain features on the top surface, such as overhang portions 360 and/or a channel 380. As shown in FIG. 5, a thickness of top portion 340 is greater at or near overhang portions 360 than at a location of channel 380. For example, at a location corresponding to overhang portions 360, the thickness ratio of the top portion thickness t_tp1to the bottom portion thickness t_bpmay be on the order of 5:1 to 20:1, and may be approximately 10:1. However, the thickness ratio may be lower than 5:1 or higher than 20:1 without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. At opposing edge locations, the top portion thickness t_tp2may be lower and a thickness ratio of the top portion thickness t_tp2to the bottom portion thickness t_bpmay be on the order of 1:1 to 5:1, and may be approximately 2.5:1. However, a thickness ratio of the top portion thickness t, to the bottom portion thickness t_bpat lateral edge locations may be lower than 1:1 or higher than 5:1 without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Various other aspects of cushioning apparatuses described herein, e.g., including different holding features, may have similar height ratios between the top portion and the bottom portion.
In a third embodiment, a cushioning apparatus may include one or more strap retaining or strap routing holes to route a clothing strap there through and/or assist in retaining the clothing strap in the cushioning apparatus. With references to FIGS. 6A and 6B, a cushioning apparatus 500 may include a bottom portion 520 and a top portion 540 attached to the bottom portion 520 as previously described, or may alternatively be of a unitary construction. A plurality of routing holes 560 extending through the cushioning apparatus 500 may be included to assist in securing the clothing strap therein. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the routing holes 560 may be positioned along a channel 580. In some examples, however, routing holes may be provided on a cushioning apparatus that does not have a channel. The routing holes 560 may extend from the top to the bottom of the cushioning apparatus, e.g., through the bottom portion 520 and top portion 540, to create openings extending between opposite sides of the cushioning apparatus 500 for looping a clothing strap therethrough and securing the clothing strap to the cushioning apparatus 500.
In some embodiments, the routing holes 560 may extend upward toward a top surface of the top portion 540 and above the channel 580. In some examples and as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, routing holes 560 may include a portion that extends upward from a floor of channel 580 and through a surrounding wall of cushioning apparatus 500. An upper face 562 of the walls surrounding the routing holes 560 may be flush with the top portion 540. In some examples, upper face 562 of the walls surrounding the routing holes 560 may be flush with a curved surface of channel 580. However, in other examples, the upper faces 562 may extend above the top portion 540, below the top portion 540, or combinations thereof without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some implementations, the routing holes 560 may include a plastic or metal grommet (not shown) along a perimeter thereof.
Routing holes 560 of cushioning apparatus 500 may be provided as regularly spaced pairs. In particular, an equal number of routing holes 560 may be provided on each longitudinal side of cushioning apparatus 500 and evenly spaced along each respective side, and/or symmetrically located about a middle lengthwise location of the cushioning apparatus. An even number of routing holes 560 may be provided to allow for two ends of a clothing strap to be looped through the cushioning apparatus 500 evenly. A higher number of routing holes may be provided, e.g., to better retain the clothing strap in place in the cushioning apparatus. Thus, additional examples of the cushioning apparatus 500 may include one, two, three, five, six or any other number of routing holes, without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
The cushioning apparatus 500 may include exactly four routing holes 560. For example, as shown in FIG. 7C, cushioning apparatus 500 includes four routing holes 560. Clothing straps 513 are looped through the routing holes 560. Channel 580 may be provided along the length or a portion of the length of cushioning apparatus 500. Channel 580 may support a knot or a bow 514 formed by tying ends of the clothing straps 513 that have been routed through routing holes 560 as shown in FIG. 7C.
In another embodiment, the cushioning apparatus may further include a covering, e.g., a fabric covering. The fabric covering may cover exterior surfaces of the clothing strap cushioning apparatus. As depicted in FIGS. 8A and 8B, cushioning apparatus 800 includes a fabric-covered cushioning base 820 and fabric flap 840. For example, base 820 may include a cushioning apparatus 100 having a gel-like body, as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, with a fabric covering over exterior portions of the cushioning apparatus 100. The fabric flap 840, otherwise referred to as a securement flap or a retaining member, may be affixed to a longitudinal side of the base 820.
Cushioning apparatus 800 may include one or more closure elements 850 a, 850 b which retain a clothing strap therein. More precisely, with the fabric flap 840 in an open position, as shown in FIG. 8A, a clothing strap may be positioned on the cushioning apparatus 800 in between male closure elements 850 a on base 820 and female closure elements 850 b on flap 840, for example, near folding line 830. Once clothing strap 833 is positioned as described, flap 840 is folded over base 820 along fold line 830 and female closure elements 850 b are attached to male closure elements 850 a. Accordingly, the closure elements 850 a, 850 b may assist in retaining a clothing strap in place on the cushioning apparatus 800. In FIGS. 8A and 8B, the closure elements 850 a, 850 b are shown as snap buttons, but other fastening systems providing releasable attachment and securement may be employed with cushioning apparatus 800, including but not limited to, hook and loop fasteners, such as VELCRO®, snaps, buttons, and the like.
FIG. 9 shows a clothing strap cushioning system 900 in use on a wearer. The clothing strap cushioning system 900 includes a garment 910 having at least one clothing strap 911 configured to be worn on a portion of a wearer's body, such as the neck or the shoulders. A cushioning member 920 is removably attached to a portion of the clothing strap 911 by a strap holding feature 925, similar to overhanging portions 360 of cushioning apparatus 300. The strap holding feature 925 is shown holding and thus separating a portion of the clothing strap 911 from the wearer. The embodiment shown in FIG. 9 may be the same as or similar to embodiment shown in FIGS. 3-5 and 7B. Systems according to other embodiments may include various combinations of cushioning apparatus elements according to other embodiments as described herein.
The cushioning apparatus as described herein may be composed of, at least partially, waterproof material, e.g., the top portion and/or the bottom portion may be composed of at least one waterproof material. The cushioning apparatus preferably has viscous properties to distribute and cushion force across the area of the apparatus. Further, the cushioning material may dissipate the force from the pinch point on the clothing strap against the body of the wearer, thereby reducing pressure and enhancing comfort. In some embodiments, the cushioning apparatus includes a gelatinous cushioning material (a semi-solid material having viscous properties), such as a silicone material. Alternatively, the cushioning material may be composed of gel silicone, foam, cotton, fiberfill, or any other material that functions to provide a cushioning to the wearer and has sufficient flexibility to conform to the body of the wearer when in use.
In some examples the cushioning apparatus, e.g., including the top and bottom portions, are silicone materials. In some examples, the bottom portion may be a first type of silicone material and the top portion is a second type of silicone material. Preferably the bottom portion, which comes into contact with the wearer, is a softer material to provide enhanced comfort, and the top portion, which holds the clothing strap, is a more durable material. For example, the first type of silicone material may be ECHOFLEX® silicone rubber and the second type of silicone material may be DRAGON SKIN® silicone rubber. In some examples the cushioning apparatus may include a layer over the cushioning material, e.g., a fabric layer, for aesthetics and/or for a more comfortable feel to a wearer.
The cushioning apparatus as described herein may be used on any number of clothing types that employ straps. For example bikinis and other types of swimwear, halter tops, tank tops, and brassieres may employ such straps. When in use, the cushioning apparatus may provide a number of health benefits to the wearer including relief of back and neck pain. Further, when the clothing article supports the weight of a portion of the wearer's body, particularly with bikini tops and brassieres for large breasted women, the cushioning device provides enhanced relief from pain and soreness associated with the pinch point created by a clothing strap holding substantial body weight. Furthermore, the cushioning apparatus described herein may be used with various other straps worn by a wearer, including straps on tote bags, messenger bags, purses, briefcases, and the like.
The present disclosure is disclosed above and in the accompanying drawings with reference to a variety of examples. The purposed served by the disclosure, however, is to provide examples of the various features and concepts related to the disclosure, not to limit the scope of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that numerous variation and modifications may be made to the examples described above without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A cushioning apparatus comprising:

a gel-like body including a strap retaining channel sized and shaped to engage with a clothing strap of a garment therein and to fit between the clothing strap and a wearer of the garment.

2. The cushioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gel-like body includes a bottom portion comprising a first material and a top portion attached the bottom portion, the bottom portion comprising a second material different from the first material.

3. The cushioning apparatus of claim 2, wherein the bottom portion is a first type of silicone material and the top portion is a second type of silicone material different from the first type of silicone, the second type of silicone being softer than the first type of silicone.

4. The cushioning apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second type of silicone is softer than the first type of silicone.

5. The cushioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the strap holding channel is disposed along at least a portion of an upper surface of the gel-like body, and wherein the strap holding channel is configured to retain the clothing strap therein and to separate at least a portion of the clothing strap from the wearer.

6. The cushioning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more overhanging portions disposed along at least a portion of an upper surface of the gel-like body, wherein the one or more overhanging portions form a channel configured to retain the clothing strap therein and to separate at least a portion of the clothing strap from the wearer.

7. The cushioning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of routing holes extending from an upper surface of the gel-like body to a lower surface of the gel-like body, wherein the plurality of routing holes are configured to assist in securing the clothing strap on the gel-like body when the clothing strap is looped through the routing holes.

8. The cushioning apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of routing holes includes exactly four routing holes.

9. The cushioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gel-like body includes raised end sections at opposing sides of an upper surface of the gel-like body and an indent in a middle portion of the upper surface, the indent shaped to receive an enlarged region of the clothing strap.

10. The cushioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the gel-like body is composed of at least one silicone material.

11. A clothing strap cushioning system comprising:

a garment having at least one clothing strap configured to be worn on a portion of a wearer's body; and

a cushioning member removably engaged with a portion of the clothing strap, the cushioning member including a retaining channel sized and shaped to hold the clothing strap therein and to fit between the clothing strap and a wearer of the garment.

12. The clothing strap cushioning system of claim 11, wherein the cushioning member includes a bottom portion comprised of a first material and a top portion attached to the bottom portion, the top portion being comprised of a second material different than the first material.

13. The clothing strap cushioning system of claim 11, wherein the retaining channel is disposed along at least a portion of an upper surface of the cushioning member, and wherein the retaining channel is configured to retain the clothing strap therein and to separate at least a portion of the clothing strap from the wearer.

14. The clothing strap cushioning system of claim 11, further comprising one or more overhanging portions disposed along at least a portion of an upper surface of the cushioning member, and wherein the one or more overhanging portions are configured to retain the clothing strap therein.

15. The clothing strap cushioning system of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of routing holes extending from an upper surface of the cushioning member to a lower surface of the cushioning member, and wherein the plurality of routing holes are configured to assist in securing the clothing strap on the cushioning member when the clothing strap is looped through the routing holes.

16. The clothing strap cushioning system of claim 11, wherein the cushioning member includes raised end sections along opposing sides of an upper surface of the cushioning member.

17. The clothing strap cushioning system of claim 11, wherein the cushioning member is composed of at least one silicone material.

18. A cushioning apparatus comprising:

a cushioning member;

a fabric covering over the cushion member; and

a retaining member affixed to a longitudinal side of the fabric covering and releasably attached to an opposite longitudinal side of the fabric,

wherein the retaining member is configured to detach from the opposite longitudinal side of the fabric covering to receive a clothing strap, and to reattach to the opposite longitudinal side of the fabric covering to secure the clothing strap in place .

19. The cushioning apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a snap button for removably attaching the retaining member to the fabric covering.

20. The cushioning apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a hook and loop closure member for removably attaching the retaining member to the fabric covering.