Havaianas, the Brazilian flip flop brand popular worldwide, has an interesting history, so let’s take a look.

In 1962, the São Paulo Alpargatas company began to produce a sandal based on the design of the Japanese flip flop, called the zori. However, instead of using straw to make them, they used rubber, which made a very comfortable and durable sandal. In the 1960s, Havaianas were sold at small, neighborhood stores for a low price, and were purchased exclusively by the lower classes. For this reason, Havaianas were known as “chinelos de pobre” (poor man’s flip flops) during this period.

Nevertheless, Havaianas were very successful at the time, selling a thousand pairs a day. Due to their popularity, many imitator brands arose, and in 1970 Havaianas came out with a new campaign called “Havaianas: As Legítimas” (Havaianas: the Legitimate Ones) to try to beat the competition.

It wasn’t until 1994 that Havaianas became a success with the middle and upper classes in Brazil. Some Brazilians say it is because foreign tourists began buying the brand, but it was also because of a change in design. In this year, the company released a new line of monochromatic sandals and by 1996, Havaianas had truly become a national brand, reaching new consumers all over the country. Two years later, the brand released a special edition flip flop, Havaianas Brazil, in honor of the World Cup. The small Brazilian flag logo would be Havaianas’ new trademark.

By 2000, the brand became a hit with celebrities and models, and the following year Havaianas began exporting their flip flops. Now wildly popular from the US to Australia, Havaianas have been featured in important retail stores, high end fashion shows, and even the Oscars. There are now nearly twenty different lines of Havaianas for men, women, children and babies, and an estimated 160 million flip flops are sold every year.