Icons 29 September 2021 2 min

A short history of Crocs™, the “ugly shoes” we love to show off

One day, three Americans visiting Canada bought in a small shop some comfortable shoes suitable for the beach and for sailing. Their anti-slip soles also helps to avoid scuffing the deck of the boat. Won over by these unpretentious clogs, they decided to buy the Quebec-based Créations Foam factory which had been manufacturing them since 2001, as well as the patent for the shoes.

Crocs™

Originally designed by two Quebec-based chemical engineers, these funny clogs are made of closed-cell ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) foam using an exclusive technology called Croslite™, which makes them comfortable, lightweight, durable, and above all provides them with unrivalled antibacterial and anti-odour qualities.

These easily washable, buoyant and non-slip clogs also have the advantage of being "thermoformable", in other words, the wearer’s body heat makes the shoes take the shape of the feet.

Weighing in at just 124 grams, Crocs™ promote blood circulation thanks to an orthopaedic heel that supports the arch of the foot and an adjustable strap on the heel to hold the foot in place.

An American-style success story…

The comfort offered by these coloured plastic shoes quickly won over the Americans. In 2003, the first year of production, 76,000 sandals left the factory. The popularity of the new sandals exploded as Hollywood adopted them: Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson and Teri Hatcher all wore them. By the summer of 2006, the company’s factories were producing nearly 3 million pairs a month to keep up with demand.

The flexible plastic clog with holes, originally favoured by the medical profession, quickly became known and recognised throughout the world under the name "Crocs".

Questionable aesthetics, but guaranteed comfort!

Labelled "ugly shoes" 10 years after their launch, they went through a short period of decline before finding a new lease of life in 2013. A fashion phenomenon associated with celebrities, the greatest designers and the biggest brands, Crocs became both the queen of limited editions sold at a premium price and a star of the social networks with the motto "Come as You Are"!

And even though they are now available in 20 different models and 25 different colours, the "Classic Clog" that made the brand so successful is still its spearhead product.

Its latest collaboration with DJ Vladimir Cauchemar, in January 2021, reinvents the model in a raven black colour, sprinkled with white and red details with small "Jibbitz Charms" that can be clipped onto the pair of shoes to customise them and make them unique.

By 2020, 700 million pairs of shoes had been sold in 90 countries!

More information:
https://www.crocs.com