Crocs Review & Answer to FAQs — History and Design

Crocs are some of the most comfortable, light, oddly casual, yet very practical shoes out there today. This article is aimed at answering every question you could have about crocs.

Between its inception and today, Crocs shoes have moved from a joke to a nuisance into one of the most in-demand brands in the market.

Their uniqueness has been one of their major selling points, and it has worked wonders for them.

History of Crocs

Before it came to bear its name as it is today, Crocs was known as Western Brands LLC; a firm established in 1999 in Colorado.

In 2002, Lyndon Hanson, Scott Seamans, and George Boedecker Jr. decided to produce foam clogs, based on a design they acquired from Foam Creations in Quebec City.

The shoes were originally intended to be boating shoes and to be used for general outdoor activities. After their first unveiling, they sold out about 200 pairs and did so to their target market; which was a bit of an achievement for them.

Read Also: Crocs vs Birkenstock

Since then, Crocs have become popular not just among boaters and fishermen, but nearly everywhere you can find shoes.

Crocs became especially popular due to the comfort they offer, among workers whose jobs required them to be on their feet nearly all day.

Being first described as ugly shoes by the masses, they somehow found favor among certain celebrities who wore them publicly, hence swaying public opinion about them and making them fashionable. Today, people wear them even indoors, as bedtime slippers.

Due to their 2004 purchase of Foam Creations and its operations, Crocs now had exclusive rights to Crostile; the foam resin used for the manufacture.

Today, Crocs shoes are available in over 90 countries and have sold over 720 million pairs of shoes (according to Crocs Investors).

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Crocs design overview

Crocs design and material

Crocs are made of a kind of Synthetic fiber known as Crostile; a proprietary closed-cell resin with exclusive rights that permits only the said company to produce.

The original design is based on the old wood clog design. However, it has evolved to multiple designs since its debut. The general idea is still the same anyway: an open-heel shoe with lightweight foam resins in the front.

After the foam creation acquisition, the founders decided to add a removable heel strap to the back of the shoe, simply for utility.

Certain users prefer to flip their straps to the front of the shoe, others swap straps with wearers of a different color, just for the aesthetics, while others still wear it as it is or removes it entirely.

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The material is odor-resistant due to its anti-bacterial/anti-fungal nature, and it is not toxic.

Read Also: Effective Ways to Get Rid of Shoe Smell

Advantages of Crocs: Why wear it?

  • They’re lightweight and comfortable
  • Crocs are odor-resistant
  • They’re recommended for people with plantar pain or achy feet.
  • Crocs are breathable
  • They provide users with a reliable traction.
  • The slightly chunky heel provides top-notch shock absorption.
  • Crocs are easy to clean

Disadvantages of Crocs

  • Crocs especially their clogs are wide.
  • New pairs especially are painful on the toes
  • The loose fitting of crocs makes it inappropriate for athletics and unsuitable for older persons and children.

FAQs

Crocs shoe review

Are Crocs good for your feet?

Crocs are considered very good for your feet. Some even refer to it as therapeutic. Due to their extreme lightweight, when you wear them, it almost feels as though you’re wearing nothing at all.

Crocs provide relief for those with toe injuries, swollen feet, any form of foot pain/discomfort generally.

Crocs are also perfect for those who spend long days at work, probably work late, and have to wear something on their feet throughout the day.

The shoes’ material is such that after a while, it tends to mold itself to the shape of the wearer’s feet to provide maximum comfort, a snuggly feel, and a level of personalization. That way, you don’t have to worry about foot aches at the end of the day.

Read Also: 4 Serious Side Effects of Ill-Fitting Shoes

Are Crocs non-slip?

Yes, Crocs are non-slip. Because of their closed-resin material, Crocs shoes are in line with the industry standards concerning slip resistance.

You can wear them without fear of slip at the slightest change in friction. Do not be afraid to use Crocs shoes for waiting/pharmaceutical jobs where there’s likely to be a bit of liquid spillage.

Related: Are Converse Non-Slip?

Are Crocs true to size?

Crocs generally run true to size. Whenever people want to get crocs for the first time, one thing they’re mostly worried about is the fit.

They usually cannot decide if crocs are designed for big or small feet or else wise. Crocs have different models, and while some of them run small, most of the casual models are known to have big fits.

However, this is not a problem as Crocs shoes themselves are designed to create a spacious, airy, comfy environment within your feet. Still, it all comes down to the crocs model you intend to purchase.

Crocs are generally known to run true to size and even the ones that are slightly different will conform to the shape of your feet over time.

Do Crocs stretch?

Like almost every other shoe, crocs are known to stretch within the first few weeks of use. This is especially true if the wearer’s feet are a bit bigger than the Crocs shoes.

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However, such stretching is mostly caused by use and heat. The good thing about this is such stretching only lasts for a while and is not so significant compared to the original size of the Crocs.

You don’t have to worry about your shoes growing bigger than your feet after purchase.

Related: How to Stretch Undersized Shoes at Home

Are Crocs vegan?

Not all crocs shoe products are vegan, but most of them are. Being vegan means they aren’t made of leather or any other animal materials.

The closed-resin material known Crostile, which crocs are generally made out of, is a synthetic material.

Most crocs are even made to look like they have fur-like materials around them to provide extra warmth, but even this material is synthetic.

However, few crocs models come with actual leather and should be easy to identify by simple look or feel. Those models are NOT vegan and should be avoided if what you are looking for is vegan material.

If it helps, the original croc models and all the fuzzy crocs are 100% vegan.

Read Also: Birkibuc vs Birko-flor (Birkenstock Vegan Styles)

Are Crocs shoes waterproof?

Crocs shoes are generally made to be waterproof. Their Crostile material equips them to take the worst of wetness and spillages without taking any damage with it. I like to divide crocs shoes into three categories at this point;

  • Crostile closed uppers
  • Crostile holey uppers
  • Non-crostile uppers

The crostile crocs with closed uppers are designed to keep your feet comfortable and dry all day. When you wear them, your feet are protected from water and other forms of spillage for the period of wear. Also, the shoes are sure to come out of the situation without any damages.

The crostile crocs with holey uppers are similar to the closed uppers, although there’s a bit of a difference. The holey uppers are designed to keep your feet comfortable and airy all day. The perforations you around the upper are for this purpose.

When you wade through water or encounter puddles or spillage with these crocs, they take the worst of the water and come out undamaged.

But your feet will have to take some of the water too, depending on how bad the spillage is. If you want to keep your feet and toes from water, you should probably go for the closed uppers option.

The non-crostile croc uppers are the minority of croc shoes that are not made to keep out water. Some of these include leather uppers and if you want waterproof shoes, you should probably avoid these.

Related: Simple Ways to Waterproof Snow Boots

Can Crocs be recycled?

Crocs cannot be recycled. The base material used to manufacture crocs, Crostile, (as we have mentioned earlier) is truly unique.

It is known for its performance across various levels of slippery surfaces and its water resistance. Amidst all of its lightweight, anti-bacterial properties, what crostile is not, is biodegradable.

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Because crostile is non-biodegradable, it cannot be put alongside other plastics and biodegradable materials to be recycled.

We advise instead that you wash and reuse old crocs as they are not very environment-friendly.

Related: 5 Creative Things to do With Old Shoes

What Crocs are in style?

Some of the most popular croc shoes in 2021 (in no particular order) are:

  • Santa Cruz
  • Serena Flip
  • Reviva Flip-flop
  • Bogota Clog
  • LiteRide Clog
  • Swiftwater
  • Classic
  • Capre V
  • Kadee
  • Citilane Roka, etc.

Shop Crocs on Amazon

Where are Crocs made?

Although when they first started, crocs were made in Canada. Their popularity and high demand in subsequent years have caused them to spread their tentacles. Today, crocs are made in 6 different countries: Brazil, Mexico, Italy, Bosnia, Vietnam, and China.

Can Crocs go in the washing machine?

It is not advisable to wash your crocs in the washing machine. Crostile material is water-resistant but too washing machines can cause the crocs to shrink.

However, if you have to use it, make sure you set the machine wash cycle to “gentle”.

How to wash different Crocs materials

1. Crostile Clogs

In case of mud stains, clean the clogs first with a damp cloth. Then proceed to wash them clean with mild soap and cold water. If you have to use the washing machine, set the wash cycle to “gentle”.

2. Leather/Suede

When cleaning your leather crocs, make sure you avoid solvent cleaners and other forms of alcohol so as not to undo the glue used to hold the leather together.

Remove dust, dirt, and debris with a damp cloth and polish the shoe with a natural waxy shoe cream.

For suedes, use a soft wire brush to clean first before applying your suede polish.

3. Canvas

When cleaning canvas-style crocs, such as the Santa Cruz, clean with mild soap and cold water after using a damp rag to remove initial stains dust, dirt, or debris.

Once all this is done, make sure you air-dry your crocs. DO NOT USE THE DRYER!

It is important you do not keep the crocs under direct sunlight as too much heat can make it shrink.


Bottom line

The truth is, Crocs is a brand that many people love. From a personal experience, investing in Crocs footwear isn’t a bad idea. I’ve tried it and that why I’m confident to recommend it.

They’ve stood the test of time and showered the industry with remarkable styles of comfort.

Meanwhile, if you have any question, kindly drop it in the comment below, and we’ll get back to you with the answer.


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