How come the barefoot-running community is interested in a shoe? Wouldn’t that be shoed-running? I guess really thin shoes must be permitted?
Actually, almost all of the mood stabilizers other than lamotrigine are or began as off-label uses for anti-seizure medications.
It’s more like protection from abrasion and puncture than an actual “shoe.” The things they (well, “we”?) oppose in shoes are mainly immobilization of the foot, padding, and arch support. VFFs have none of those.
It was also used down here in the southern U.S. to deal with gnats. They did seem to get stuck to it at least.
They also prevent pregnancy if you happen to wander into the kitchen 
In case you’re interested, I interviewed Cap’n Crunch (John Draper) for a series of articles I wrote for Blacklisted! 411 magazine on hacking and phreaking. The first article (which doesn’t have much of the interview) is on my website here. One of these days, I’ll have to put the rest up, since they’re no longer on Blacklisted! 411’s site.
I heard about this in a marketing class, Avon learned about the alternate use as a mosquito repellent only after then saw a very large jump in sales and tried to find out why, after they learned the reason they didn’t do anything because (IIRC) of some government regulations and because word of mouth was working so good. When they came out with the insect repellent claim I already completed the class.
Probably not the big winners, but I use these other than intended:
Plastic Deviled Egg Dishes instead of paint pallets
Antihystamines for sunburn - keeps them from itching, which helps a ton
ISTM at least plausible, if not downright likely, that both of these things need their own category in that they are actually aimed at the market they are used for but they are labelled otherise for particular reasons. Would either be the shape they are if they were not actually intended to be used as they are?
Corn starch
You can find it in every commercial kitchen, and in every commercial kitchen’s bathroom.
What for?
I’m guessing for the cooks’ sweaty balls.
That would be the bathroom use, then?
Part of why the magic wand caught on in the first place was that it isn’t shaped like a traditional vibrator, so you don’t have to hide it when your parents come to visit. The amazon listing even lists “non-phallic appearance” as one of it’s features. I’m sure they’ve caught on now (note that Hitachi doesn’t bother listing “non-phallic appearance” as a feature for their carburetors or construction equipment), but unlike other japanese sex toys made to not look phallic to dodge regulations (like the rabbit), this one was genuinely designed as a massager.
Don’t ask silly questions. It’s like wondering why, or worse, when, they took the lithium ouf of 7up.
Teflon (Polytetrafluoroethylene) was originally accidentally invented in 1938 as a byproduct of developing a refrigerant. It was used in World War II to reduce drag on aircraft skins (it’s one of the many secrets that enabled the P-51 Mustang to be both faster and more fuel-efficient than previous aircraft) and is now used in cookware, waterproofing, stain resistance, and many other uses. It also causes cellular damage to tissue under certain circumstances and is widespread throughout the environment.
Not sure if this counts but what about “tobacco” smoking products like king-size cigarette paper (Rizlas in UK parlance). They clearly labeled for tobacco use, and I’m sure if you ask anyone at the Rizla Company (on the record at least) they will swear blind that is all they intended for. But NO ONE uses the king-size ones for smoking regular roll ups, they are really only suitable for reefers.
The makers of steel wool are probably grateful for the crack smoking epidemic.
Got a cite for that?
Yachting/boating shoes are huge niche market. I’d be willing to bet it is much larger than the barefoot running market. Yachting shoes need to adhese well to a wet wooden deck, withstand constant exposure to sea water, have good ventillation to dry, be easily removed, and look good. It is that last point that doomed those stupid looking toe shoes. The prototype yacht shoe enudres in popularity today even among those who have never stepped foot on deck.