12/17/2023 0 Comments Rainbow sandalsIn 1972, after his moment of business inspiration, he tinkered with how to craft a well-made sandal that didn’t snap, tear or hurt. It’s all part of Longley’s commitment to develop a sandal that looks and feels great but won’t wear out. The rest are made in China but are hand-inspected to make sure the quality rivals domestic production. State and federal regulations limit the San Clemente production to 1,000 pairs a day. This is where it happens, where 15% of the brand’s 2 million pairs are made each year. Inside, he brushed past dozens of shadowboxes brimming with soles and handwritten thank-you notes mailed to the store by loyal customers. On a recent, 70-degree morning, Longley - dressed as if he had just waded out of the surf - drove the few miles from his home in south Orange County to his retail outlet showroom, a Tiki-themed building that also serves as the factory headquarters, on Calle de los Molinos in San Clemente. The sandals are now worldwide surfwear icons, though much of the manufacturing and business operations haven’t strayed far from their roots. With no experience making shoes, Longley began doing just that in his Laguna Beach garage in 1972. “I wanted to make something that lasted forever,” Longley said, “so I thought, ‘I’m going to make a sandal.’” What could he make that would be so durable that it didn’t end up in the garbage?īeing a surfer, he knew he wanted a quality flip-flop that didn’t quickly split apart or form blisters on his bare feet like so many cheap pairs. He was mowing lawns for a living and dropping the clippings off at the dump, a process that also piqued his interest in best environmental practices.Īs he thought also about his future, he decided he wanted to create a product that people could rely on for years, if not a lifetime. These were some of the thoughts he had in the 1970s, when he was in his 20s. He sees the vastness of the ocean, the mystery of nature and how easy it can be for people to neglect the care of the planet. In fact, they've only ever felt supple.When Jay “Sparky” Longley paddles out on his surfboard to catch a wave off the Orange County coast, he doesn’t see only the challenge of the sport that is so much a part of his life. Besides making a lasting, good looking version of a usually expendable consumer item, I’ve never understood how Rainbows, even after years of use, never feel worn bare or oily. Every time I’ve seen other flip flops get torn to shreds after a few weeks' use, I marvel that, for what feels to me like an incredibly low price, I can get a high quality, reliable pair of shoes. Their durability has always almost fascinated me. Rainbows will always be an everyday shoe for me because they are sturdy, beautifully classic shoes: a flip flop that can actually be considered as a stylistic choice rather than a last resort. While these certainly aren't river shoes, They do just fine with getting wet as any good sandal should. The slight arch support that’s initially built in will only increase as your weight slowly shapes the sandal to one of the few true instances of a perfectly fitting piece of footwear. I’ve owned two pairs of Rainbows over the last ten years, and the longest a pair ever took me to break in was usually around two weeks. New leather, similarly to fancy denim, will start out stiff as a board but wear into a more uniquely fitted and often longer lasting material over time. Rainbows come stiff which, while it means there is a break-in period, is ultimately a good thing.
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