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Brand Focus: Etnies

3 June 2021
Brand Focus: Etnies

Our TSA skate family keeps on growing this season, and we’re excited to introduce you to our newest addition, Etnies. Designed by skateboarders for skateboarders, Etnies offer a huge range of functional footwear and apparel for skaters of all abilities across the globe. The brand has a devoted following within the action sports industry thanks to their hard-wearing materials, practical designs, creative styling, and sustainable values.


History


Skateboarders in the ‘80s were struggling to find suitable footwear for their sport. Existing trainers weren’t designed to withstand the impact of skating, which meant that they would break down easily and cause injuries. To create a solution to this problem, Etnies was established in France in 1986 with the aim of designing the best and most practical shoes for skating. Now 35 years later, the brand is still at the forefront of the skate footwear and apparel industry.

Etnies collaborated early on with one of the original professional skateboarders, American icon Natas Kaupas, to create the world’s first pro model skate shoe. Pro models were an entirely new concept within the sphere of skateboarding at the time, so the Etnies NATAS truly started a revolution in 1987 when they were first launched.

The current owner and CEO of Etnies, ex-professional skateboarder Pierre André Senizergues, joined shortly after the company’s formation in the late ‘80s. He played a key role in developing the company into the recognisable global skate brand that it is today.

The brand saw rapid growth outside of the skate bubble through the ‘90s and ’00s when pop stars and other public figures started wearing Etnies shoes. The increased popularity allowed Etnies to move their headquarters across the pond to the US and give back to the skate community by building California’s largest public skatepark in the town of Lake Forest.

Now operating under Senizergues’s umbrella company Sole Technology, Etnies have stayed true to their roots and continue to sponsor a team of industry pros in skateboarding, BMX, and other action sports.

 


Buy a Shoe, Plant a Tree


From the early days of the Etnies journey, Senizergues had an ambitious goal in mind. He wanted to reduce the company’s impact on the planet and eventually become carbon neutral. On a research trip to Costa Rica, he heard about their plans of reducing their impact by planting 3.5 trees for every resident of the country. Senizergues was impressed by the idea and wanted to get involved and help the local communities in the process.

The original ‘Buy a Shoe, Plant a Tree’ (BASPAT) campaign pledged to plant one tree for every pair of Jameson ECO 2 shoes sold. The goal was to plant 35,000 trees in the Maleku reserve in Costa Rica, and this goal was met within the year. Senizergues knew that he wanted to continue the Etnies BASPAT initiative and expand the program to a larger scale.

Etnies partnered with Trees for the Future in 2012 to keep supporting reforestation and regeneration efforts worldwide. 2020 saw another expansion of the BASPAT initiative when they started donating a tree for every pair of shoes sold from the new collection, not just for every pair of Jameson ECO 2s.

2021 marks the 10th anniversary of BASPAT, and overall it has resulted in the planting of over 2 million trees. The collaboration between Etnies and Trees for the Future continues, and the program sees further expansion. In honour of Earth Day 2021, Etnies donated an extra tree for every order placed that week, doubling their contribution towards a healthier planet.

Etnies Buy a Shoe, Plant a Tree

Etnies Buy a Shoe, Plant a Tree


Giving Back To The Community


On top of the company’s sustainability efforts, Senizergues is also passionate about using his business to give back to the community. The public Etnies skatepark that opened in 2003 in California was a huge milestone that, to this day, brings joy to local residents and visitors. The brand also frequently sponsors action sports events across the globe.

In addition to doing good for the skate and action sports culture, Etnies offer continued support to wider communities, not only through the BASPAT programme, but they also regularly set up ‘Buy a Shoe, Donate a Shoe’ campaigns. Since 1998, Etnies have worked with the LA Mission and donated nearly 50,000 pairs of shoes to those in need.

 


Etnies in Spring/Summer 2021


For the spring/summer season in 2021, Etnies have continued to develop their classic products to make them even better. They have started collaborating with tyre manufacturer Michelin to make their skate shoe outsoles longer lasting.

Check out our top picks from the 2021 spring/summer range.


Etnies Jameson Eco 2 Shoes

Etnies Jameson Eco 2 Shoes

The Jameson ECO 2 is one of Etnies’s bestsellers year after year. This shoe started the ‘Buy a Shoe, Plant a Tree’ initiative back in 2011, and although the programme has since been expanded to apply to every pair of Etnies shoes, the Jameson ECO is the original sustainable choice.


Etnies Classic Icon Hoodie

Etnies Classic Icon Hoodie

Complete your skate outfit with one of Etnies’s icon hoodies in your favourite colourway. Whether you’re lapping the park or cruising down the streets, this hoody will keep you cosy in classic Etnies style.


Etnies Joslin Vulc Shoes

Etnies Joslin Vulc Shoes

Designed and tested by Chris Joslin, this shoe features an extremely hardwearing Michelin Vulc outsole and a comfortable suede upper. Whether you’re looking for ultimate skate performance or style and comfort for your everyday adventures, the Joslin Vulc can handle both and more.

 


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