What Are Sneakers?

Trainers, kicks, canvas shoes... there are many words to refer to a kind of footwear that's none other than sneakers.

We all probably have heard the word sneakers sometime before, and know what it refers to, especially those who love this kind of shoes, in fact, the word sneakers has crossed frontiers, being universally known nowadays, but where does this word actually come from?

All the way to the United States!

Sneaker originates from the word sneak, which translates as to walk stealthily about, also related to stealing, in fact, thieves were known as sneaks. The only inconsistency was that back then, shoes were mostly made of leather, so walking in them was noisy, thus passing unnoticed was out of the question. Things changed when, in the 19th century, the first rubber-soled shoes appeared, becoming the perfect choice to walk silently. That's exactly how the term sneaker originated.

 

Early sneakers

The first rubber sneakers were designed around 1907. The only difference to the existing conventional shoes was the shift to this silent rubber sole.

 

 

 

The rubber sole and the advent of sneakers ushered in a whole new world of sport shoes.

Most interestingly, the first sport shoes did not distinguish between left and right feet. Once sports shoes gained a strong foothold in society, more and more brands and models emerged. Sneakers became a big market when basketball players started sponsoring trainers and youngsters queued up to get a pair of them.

 

Sneakers today

So what are sneakers? Well, sneakers are versatile timeless sporty shoes, which basically most of us at least have a pair or two. This easy to combine casual style shoes, can be found as in classic style, platform, dressy sneakers, etc. It has become essential in people's looks regardless of age, being no longer only part of sporty outfits. Wearing sneakers over a suit nowadays is as common, as with jeans or even suits.

 

 

What's the difference between tennis shoes and sneakers?

The USA is where both words are most commonly used. Generally speaking, tennis and sneakers mean the same thing. For some, tennis may be more closely linked to white lace-up trainers, whereas sneakers refer to casual shoes. Either way, most people use both terms equally, referring to the same kind of casual timeless sneakers, in different styles and colours. Clearly, neither tennis shoes nor sneakers are moccasins, sandals, high heels, or formal shoes.

Personalised sneakers

At Bullfeet we go one step further by bringing together all styles in a single sneaker. Customers design each of its parts based on their taste, style, and needs, thus customizing their sneakers as they wish. Our 3D customizer is among the most extensive sustainable ones on the market, from which you can create your sneakers from scratch, out of thousands of combinations.

 

 

Our sneakers are made in Spain by skilled artisan shoemakers with years of experience in the insdustry, taking care of each detail. All our fabrics are sustainable, vegan and planet conscious. We love fashion and aim at keeping our impact on the environment as low as possible. Thus we produce eco-friendly shoes on demand, exclusively for our customers.

Visit Bullfeet to design you own unique and special pair of sneakers.