From farmers, to aviator pilots, to surfers
and the most fashion conscious of international celebrities, 'ugg
boots' have a distinct and colourful history that has seen them become a
'household essential' in all parts of the world.
This handcrafted
sheepskin boot is predominantly known worldwide as an 'ugg boot',
however since its inception in Australia over 200 years ago, it has also
been referred to as an 'ug, ugh and fug' boot. All of these names are
merely a generic term for Australian-made sheepskin boots, rather than a
brand name. The word 'ug' actually means ugly in the Australian
dictionary, although most people would claim they are more of an item of
beauty.
The woollen inner lining of an ugg boot naturally warms
the feet and allows circulation to keep away moisture, which also helps
resist unwanted odours. The boots are designed to be worn without socks
and effectively insulate the feet in cold weather and cool them during
warmer conditions.
Whilst the reasoning behind their name has
remained much of a mystery, their uses and benefits have proved
invaluable and inspirational for a variety of people over the years.
Initial discovery of Ugg boots
During
the 19th century, sheep farming became a UGG Bailey Button major industry in Australia.
Farmers and ranchers utilised every part of the sheep, making bulky,
well-lined ugg boots to keep their feet warm and dry, as well as
clothing and various other household items.
Farmers across
Australia steadily grew accustomed to wearing ugg boots on a daily
basis, however it wasn't until World War I and II that the true value of
natural fibre ugg boots was properly put to test. Aviator pilots used
'fug' boots (flying ugs) to keep their
UGG Boots Argyle Knit
feet loose, comfortable and at a
constant warm temperature in non-pressurized planes at high altitudes.
During
the 1960's ugg boots really unleashed their fashionable influence on
society and much of this was attributed to a growing worldwide surfing
phenomenon. Australian surfers decided it was extremely cosy and warm to
jump out of the surf and into a pair of sheepskin boots.
The
popularity of ugg boots rapidly spread
Ugg Jimmy Choo Sale throughout Australia. During the
winter months, surfers replaced their boards with skis and poles and
started wearing their ugg boots in ski resorts on Australia's Snowy
Mountains. At the time, ugg boots were also a hit with competitive
swimmers.
Home of the world's finest wool
Geelong-based
company Jacksons Tannery, a hide trading and tanning specialist, were
approached by surfers from along the Victorian Coast in the 1970's, who
wanted to use their sheepskin to make their own warm, post surfing ugg
boots.
At the time, the Geelong area was regarded as the home to
the
Uggs world's finest wool. It is also the home of EMU Australia, one of
the longest standing Australian ugg boot manufacturers. The surfer's
original design was very basic - essentially two pieces of sheepskin in
the shape of a boot, joined together down the centre-front and back with
a soft sole attached to the bottom. There were no hard soles back then -
they were practically a glorified sock!
Jacksons Tannery quickly
recognised the need to improve the quality and performance of the
surfer's basic sheepskin design, so they began subcontracting their
sheepskin to shoe makers.
Ugg boots - Trademark controversy
In
1971, Australian Shane Stedman recognised the potential in
Ugg Boots Sale sheepskin
boots and registered 'ugh boot' with the Australian Trade Mark Registry.
It lapsed and decades later it ended up in the hands of US company
Deckers Outdoor Corporation, along with the other various spellings.
Deckers
eventually tried to restrict all Australian sheepskin boot companies
from using the use of the terms Ugh, Ug and Ugg based on the grounds of
litigation and trademark ownership, but restrictions on the use of these
terms were removed from the Australian Trade Mark register in 2006,
allowing all sellers to use the terms.
Ugg boots go global
In
1978, Australian surfer Brian Smith took a dozen pairs of ugg boots to
the US. Several Californian surfers took to their benefits and almost
immediately Smith was importing more pairs from Australia. The following
year Smith formed a partnership with Jacksons to Cheap Ugg Australia supply boots to the US
under the registered 'UGG' brand. In 1993 UGG Australia was sold to
Deckers.
EMU launched
EMU Australia was
launched in 1994 by employees from Jacksons and due to the huge demand
for ugg boots in the US, they quickly appointed a distributor in
Boulder, Colorado.
Suddenly, EMU's mission to become the world's
best sheepskin footwear company was fast becoming reality. With over 40
distributors and 10,000 retailers, EMU is now the leading footwear brand
in Australia and the fastest growing sheepskin footwear brand in the
world.
Whilst stilettos, platforms and wedges are must-haves to
pump up that strut in our modern society, ugg boots have been making
their way off the shelves for decades, not for their 'chic visage' but
for their ultimate features - comfort and warmth. Just as they have done
for over 200 years.
With new styles available all year round, come and see the Natureshop for current and upto date styles of various for men and women.
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