For interviews, product samples or other media related queries, please contact our PR Department at publicrelations@crocs.com.
Back to News
CROCS
Raleigh News & Observer, Jul 22, 2006
What are Crocs?
Not quite flip-flop. Not quite Birkenstock. Not quite clog. The Croc is a beast all its own, helping to make it one of this summer’s must-have shoes.
Kids love them because they’re bright and colorful. There are no laces to tie, no Velcro to deal with. (Prepare to hear requests for a pair during back-to-school shopping trips.)
Older folks like them because they’re lightweight (just 6 ounces) and comfortable, especially if you’re on your feet all day, have arch issues or have feet pain.
Crocs are made of a lightweight antimicrobial resin, called Crosslite, designed to mold to the wearer’s feet. Wear them all summer, no matter how hot and sticky it gets. Because of Crocs’ antibacterial material, they won’t be stinky by summer’s end.
Here’s what you need to know before hitting the stores:
Choices of Crocs
Of the 17 styles (including three for kids), the original Croc — and the most popular — is the Beach, with lots of holes up top for an airy shoe that even floats. The Beach’s closest twin is the Cayman, a second-generation Croc. The hard part is choosing Beach or Cayman in one of 18 shades, from butter to chocolate.
Aspen is what you might find on the feet of workers at hospitals or restaurant kitchens. They’re closed-toed, with no holes on top. Their cushiony footbed makes them a top choice for people who stand on their feet at work. Athens is the new Croc flip-flop, which comes in 11 two-tone shades. Cloud and Relief are Crocs for people with a multitude of feet issues, from bunions to heel bruises.
The Right Fit
According to the company, Crocs should fit loosely, so that the sides of your feet don’t touch the sides of the shoe and your toes don’t hit the front. Ideally, once your foot is centered in the shoe, you should have about 1/4 or 1/2 inch of space in front of your toes and behind your heel. When you lift the strap, you should be able to get your finger between the strap and heel.
Buying Crocs
They’re not hard to find. Crocs are sold in more than 7,300 stores around the country — and growing fast. In fact, 900 more stores were added to the list just this summer. Find them at national chains, such as REI or Dick’s Sporting Goods, or independently owned stores. You also can buy them or find a list of more local stores at www.crocs.com. Expect to pay between $29.99 and $59.99.
Stylin’ in Crocs
They’re perfect for anything that’s associated with summer — the beach, a picnic, gardening, a cookout.
Wear them traditionally, with the strap pulled around the back of the ankle. Push the strap up on the shoe for a clog look…
Or do what the cool kids are doing — pop off the back strap and mix and match straps from another pair of Crocs or from those of your friends.
If you really want to be on the edge of Croc style, decorate the holes of Beach or Cayman Crocs with Jibbitz — rubber, charmlike pieces in the shape of bumble bees, flowers, Easter eggs or Santa Claus. (Try Jibbitz.com, or find them locally.)
Crocs business
Three guys from Boulder, Colo., founded the company in 2002 to market the shoe developed and manufactured by Foam Creations. At first, the shoe was marketed to the boating community as a nonslip shoe that can get wet and not leave scuff marks. Later, they realized Crocs had wider appeal, and by 2003, the shoes were being mass-marketed…
Who’s wearing Crocs?
Stars do. Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner.
Athletes, too. Carolina Hurricanes player Mike Commodore wore them in the locker room during the Stanley Cup playoffs with his infamous white robe.
Restaurant and hospital workers live in them. “Once you put them on your feet, it’s like ‘Wow,’” said Sherrie Honeycutt, a supervisor educator in inpatient recovery at WakeMed Hospital in Raleigh. “It’s like magic.”
Owning Crocs
The company went public in February, selling shares of its stock to help finance its rapid expansion. Buy a share for around $23, a few bucks cheaper than the shoes themselves.
- Samantha Thompson Smith
read more…