Medical apparel company Careismatic has expanded its portfolio with the acquisition of nursing footwear company BALA footwear (BALA).

Based in Portland, Oregon, BALA footwear is claimed to incorporate features that enable healthcare professionals to navigate the day-to-day challenges of their work.

Careismatic Brands specialises in medical apparel, footwear and accessories, with a distribution platform in 70 countries. BALA will complement Careismatic's existing portfolio of medical apparel brands, which comprises Cherokee Uniforms, Dickies Medical and Medelita.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Careismatic Brands CEO Girisha Chandraraj said: "This acquisition marks a milestone in our journey to provide exceptional products that meet the needs of healthcare providers around the world.

"The entire Careismatic team is excited to introduce BALA footwear to our customers and deliver on our shared vision of improving the lives of people who care for others."

BALA was founded in September 2020 by former Nike executives Brian Lockard and John Eberle and former Under Armor executive Caprice Neely.

Brian Lockard said: "Our mission at BALA Footwear is to make healthcare professionals feel like the most respected professionals in the world. Since launching our start-up in 2020, we've served thousands of healthcare professionals by seeking partnerships with other organisations that share that mission.

"We are thrilled to join the Careismatic portfolio because of their almost 30-year history of service to the healthcare community and broad resources that will enable the BALA brand to expand how we deliver on our core mission."