One of life’s simple joys is feeling at ease. These small comforts have all become part of our everyday routines, whether sleeping on a pillow, relaxing on a nice mattress, or slipping into warm slippers.
Slippers are a necessary feature of our everyday routine. When we’re at home and want to give our feet a well-deserved rest, we put them on. As slippers are so prevalent, one could assume they don’t hold any secrets for us.
Rubber chappals, also known as Flip-flops, are the perfect choice of footwear during summer, as the open design keeps your feet cool. And it also allows you to click good feet pics to add extra fun in summer.
Chappal slippers for men and women are a favored choice during the summer and all year, perhaps. They range in price from a hundred rupees to ultra-chic, pricey designer flip-flops and everything in between.
You can now get quality products at the best price online. Although this footwear style is highly popular, you probably aren’t aware of a lot of history behind it.
The flip-flop is a flat-soled, open-toed chappal for men with a y-shaped strap. The sandal is held on the foot by a strap between the big and second toes and back to both sides. Flip-flops, once only worn as casual shoes, are now heard almost everywhere.
We’ve compiled a list of intriguing facts about women slippers and chappals for men to demonstrate that these shoes, a familiar yet essential part of our daily lives, have a rich heritage. Continue reading to learn some facts about this simple pair of shoes:
1. Historical Background: Our Ancestors Also Wore Them
Flip-flops, the most basic sandals, are estimated to have originated approximately 4,000 BC in Ancient Egypt. The oldest known flip-flop dates from roughly 1,500 BC and is on display in the British Museum.
The materials used to make flip-flops have evolved from papyrus, palm leaves, and straw to plastic and rubber. Soldiers took them back from Japan as souvenirs during WWII. During the 1950s and 1960s, modern rubber variants were predominantly worn at the beach or the pool.
2. Onomatopoeia – YES, That’s How Flip-flops Got Their Name
What’s in a Name, Anyway? Sure everything.
Flip-flops got their name due to onomatopoeia: The clapping sound these slippers create when they hit against the heel of your foot while walking gave them their name. (Onomatopoeia is the process of naming anything using a word that sounds phonetically similar to the sound it describes or the sound of the object being named).
Different countries have different names for these rubber chappals or flip-flops. While it is known as the zori in Japan and is used to teach children to walk, it is also known as a plugger, jandal, or thong in other countries.
The term “flip-flop” is relatively new, having been coined in the 1960s when shoes were worn as a fashion statement and a way of keeping cool in hot weather.
While we call them flip-flops, they are also known by different names around the world:
- Tongs – Cambodia
- Thongs – Australia
- Zori – Japan
- Sayonares – Greece
- Chinelos – Brazil
- Slops – South Africa
3. Flip-Flops Have Come Along Way Since WWII
After World War II, American soldiers returned home with a pair of Japanese zori made from rice straw as souvenirs. Japanese children traditionally wear zori as they begin to walk, but children and adults in the United States appreciate them.
By the 1950s, American producers had developed their version of zori, which used rubber instead of straw and came in various colors. This footwear became a global fashion trend over the next two decades.
4. Material Used Over Time
Summertime is equated with flip-flops. They are soft, colorful, and versatile. While we have flip-flops made of leather, suede, foam, rubber, and plastic, did you know they are also made with other unusual materials in other parts of the world?
Papyrus and palm leaves were used in Ancient Egypt; the Masai tribe in Africa used cowhide; Rice straw was used in China and Japan; Yucca plant was used in Mexico; people in India used wood for flip-flops, and South Americans used sisal plant leaves to form twine for their flip-flops.
5. The Big Controversy
In 2005, a controversy arose at the White House regarding flip-flops. When some Northwestern University women’s lacrosse team members met President Bush in flip-flops, it caused a national uproar. Later, the players auctioned off the shoes to support a young cancer patient.
Interesting Facts!
- Flip-flops or rubber are the most primitive type of footwear, as seen worn in images of early men in rock paintings.
- Havaianas are the most popular flip flops, with over 200 million pairs sold yearly.
- The most expensive pair of flip-flops cost $18,000! It’s made by hand and features 6 grams of 18-carat pure gold.
- The global market for Flip Flops is expected to reach USD 11900 million in 2024
- Until the 1960s, they were known as Flip Flaps.
Whether you call them Flip Flops or Chappals, we suggest looking for dil ke deals when searching for the right pair.
Last Updated on by Pragya Chakrapani
