1. Teva started as utilitarian sandals for river guides
In the 80s’, river guide Mark Thatcher noticed a need in the market: river guides in Colorado needed more practical footwear than the humble flip flop. They required something that would be more suitable in the water and protect their feet, but that was still just as easy to wear and dried quickly. Inspired by the velcro wristband from his watch, Thatcher set out to combine the two in a practical, water-friendly pair of sandals that were comfortable but stayed on his feet. Yes, that’s right, a pair of flip flops and a wristwatch strap gave birth to today’s colourful Teva sandals!
2. The ‘Ugly Shoes’ that are actually pretty cool
The term ‘ugly shoes’ refers to footwear that values functionality and comfort over looks. Other brands such as Birkenstock, Crocs and Dr Martens, share the same classification, but aside from that, what all of these brands have in common is that people adore them. Their versatility lends them well to many scenarios and fashion styles, and as a result, they have become extremely popular in recent years. It’s impossible to go to the park, the supermarket or on the busy streets of any major city in the world and not spot someone wearing a pair. They’re just that cool.
3. They helped start a fashion revolution
Alongside brands like UGG and Birkenstock, Teva helped revolutionise modern fashion. Its appearances on the runway and a series of well-matched brand collaborations propelled Teva into the mainstream world of fashion. Suddenly the utilitarian look became ‘cool’ and people fell in love with comfort and dressing casually. Now, Teva sandals can be found strapped to the feet of celebs, outdoor-enthusiasts, urban-dwellers, and even a few brides & grooms!
4. It’s all in the straps
Straps are key in Teva’s design, but beyond the vibrant prints and colour combinations, there is a world of ingenuity that makes these sandals so amazing.
The straps on Teva sandals are constructed with functionality in mind: they are adjustable, which means you can get a perfect fit every time, and the velcro fastening keeps them securely in place but makes them easy to get in and out of. Some of Teva’s sandals also use something called tubular webbing. This is superior to flat webbing in a number of ways: it’s much stronger, but it’s softer, more pliable and has no hard ‘edge’. That means if the strap rolls or gets twisted it won’t cause blisters or dig into the skin. Teva sandals will never rub your feet, not even when they get wet. On that note, the webbing dries quickly, so you won’t have to worry about walking around with wet feet all day.
5. They’re made from recycled plastic
Since 2020, 100% of Teva’s iconic straps are made from recycled material using traceable, verifiable REPREVE® polyester yarn by Unifi®, fighting to combat one of the major crisis of our time: plastic pollution. They’ve diverted over 40 million plastic bottles from landfills and put them to better use, strapping sandals to our feet. Plastic bottles are collected, cleaned and turned into pellets, before eventually being spun into polyester fibres and used to make the webbing in the colourful straps we’ve come to know and love. They are transforming waste that pollutes the planet into something that helps you explore it.
If you’ve enjoyed learning some new facts about Teva and want to get your hands on a pair, you can shop the range here!
