Deckers Brands

A pair of UGG boots

UGG brand boots have a sheepskin upper with a wool inner lining and a tanned outer surface worn by men and women. Surfing helped popularize the boots outside of Australia and New Zealand, when surfer Brian Smith started selling the boots in the US through UGG Holdings, Inc. in 1979.[10]

Deckers is considered a niche market supplier due to heavy reliance on its UGG brand, a fashion luxury item, in its sales.[1] In the economic downturn of 2008, Deckers continued to show earnings and sales growth.[11] UGG boots are Deckers' primary source of revenue.[1]

Teva

Founded	1984 (1984)
Founder	Mark Thatcher
Products	Footwear and accessories
Parent	Deckers Brands
Website	teva.com

Geophysicist Mark Thatcher invented Teva (Hebrew: טבע, pronounced "teh-vah" not "tee-vah," Hebrew for "nature"[12]). While working as a rafting guide in 1982 he noticed the lack of proper shoes for river activities. Sneakers would become heavy when wet and would take days to dry, and flip-flops would slide off feet very easily.

A pair of Teva sandals

Thatcher added a nylon ankle strap to a traditional thong-style sandal, thus creating the first sports sandal. Thatcher patented his invention and signed an agreement with the shoemaker California Pacific to manufacture the shoes, while he marketed the "amphibious utility sandals" as their salesman, selling 200 pairs the first year. Although it was effective water sports footwear, it proved less effective for regular sports, as the first Teva users often complained of blisters between the first and second toes caused by the thong-style strapping system. However, in 1984 a sudden high demand of Teva sandals arose as young Americans found the sandal fashionable. California Pacific then claimed rights over the Teva name and patent, stating that Thatcher was merely an employee of their company. Thatcher sued California Pacific and won his case the following year, severing links with California Pacific. He then started the Teva company in Flagstaff, Arizona.[13]

In late 1985, Thatcher set up an exclusive licensing agreement with Deckers Corporation to manufacture and distribute Teva sandals. Deckers eventually obtained exclusive rights to Teva, including US patent #4,793,075 for the basic design and a trademark for the brand name. The sandal was redesigned, creating the "Universal Strapping System". The strapping system includes a heel strap that goes around the ankle to prevent the sandal from sliding off, and a side strap that prevents the sandal from stretching in awkward positions where injury could occur. Each strap is connected to the others by triangular "rings". The basic model consists of a two-layer sole; the inner sole is softer and serves as the footbed, and most models come with arch support and Microban Zinc, a technology that reduces odor and kills bacteria. The outer sole is harder and is formulated to have a good grip on wet surfaces.

On November 25, 2002, Deckers Outdoor Cooperation acquired the worldwide Teva patents, trademarks, and other assets from Mark Thatcher.[6]

Sanuk, a sandal brand based in Southern California, was founded in 1997 and acquired by Deckers in 2011 for $120 million.[14] "Sanuk" is the Thai word for fun.[15] Founder Jeff Kelley, a Southern California native, started by making sandals out of indoor-outdoor carpet and inner tubes.[16] In 2010, Sanuk's "Yoga Mat Sandal" was awarded SIMA's "Footwear Product of the Year".[17]