Footwear Industry

Joe D’Amico

MEM 1151: Introduction to Management & Engineering for Manufacturing

Lakshman Thakur & Diane VanScoter

Industry Report: Athletic Footwear Industry

April 18, 2013

Brief History

The concept of footwear is not a new one; in fact, its beginnings date back thousands of years to when sandals were worn by Ancient Egyptians. However, back then, sandals were not worn for the same reasons that the footwear is used today. The sandal was used solely as a means of protection for the wearer’s feet. The sandal and other primal forms of footwear were highly coveted and seen as a luxury good that few could afford. Footwear used to be simply a status symbol. Today, shoes are considered a primal necessity and serve endless functions from fashion to athletic aid.

Introduction

Although footwear has had a long history, it was not until 1876 that the first modern form of athletic footwear was introduced. The type of shoe, known as Plimsoll Shoes, was a combination of rubber soles and a canvas top that created a lightweight, yet durable shoe. It was the first ever mass-produced canvas, rubber-soled shoe and the start to an industry. The shoes were innovative because the rubber made the shoe lighter than previous shoes and grooved soles allowed for greater traction. Although the shoe was the first great innovation for modern athletic footwear, the Plimsoll Shoe eventually became known as a “sneaker” because the rubber sole allowed the wearer to sneak up on another person. The Plimsoll was the most basic prototype of what would eventually evolve to become the first shoe that served the purpose of enhancing athleticism. From here on out, innovation through research and development took over and rapidly swept the nation, as well as the world.

Growth

The next major milestone in the development of athletic footwear was the concept of engineering a shoe specifically to help an athlete succeed at a particular sport. One of the first companies to do this was the...