Canvas slip-on shoes have been around for over a century and have an interesting origin story. In the early 1900s, a company called The United States Rubber Company (later renamed Uniroyal) was producing canvas sneakers with rubber soles, which were becoming increasingly popular for their comfort and durability. The company’s president at the time, Albert Goodwill Spalding, saw an opportunity to create a new type of shoe that would be easier to put on and take off than traditional sneakers, which required lacing up.
Spalding enlisted the help of his son, Hall-of-Fame baseball player Albert Goodwill Spalding Jr., to design a new type of shoe that would be comfortable, functional, and easy to wear. Together, they came up with the idea of a canvas slip-on shoe with a rubber sole, which they called the Keds Champion. The shoes were first released in 1916, and quickly became popular among athletes and the general public alike for their simplicity and versatility.
The Keds Champion became an instant classic and paved the way for other brands to create their own versions of canvas slip-on shoes. In the 1960s, the shoe became associated with the California surf culture and was popularized by brands such as Vans and Sperry. Today, canvas slip-on shoes are a staple of casual fashion and can be found in a wide variety of styles and designs.
In summary, the origin story of canvas slip-on shoes can be traced back to the early 1900s, when the president of the United States Rubber Company saw an opportunity to create a new type of shoe that would be easier to put on and take off than traditional sneakers. With the help of his son, he designed the Keds Champion, which became an instant classic and paved the way for other brands to create their own versions of canvas slip-on shoes.
