Crocs

Crocs was created in 2002 by three friends and entrepreneurs — Scott Seamans, Lyndon Hanson and George Boedecker Jr. — who produced the first model of what would become the Crocs Classic Clog. Later that year, the product was unveiled at the famous Fort Lauderdale Boat Show and all pairs sold out. Just four years later, the footwear company went public on the New York Stock Exchange and that same year it made a savvy investment by acquiring the Jibbitz accessory maker for $10 million.

Crocs Inc. is now a footwear industry giant, with nearly $4 billion in revenue in fiscal 2023 — that includes sales of its Crocs shoes as well as sister brand Hey Dude, which was acquired in 2022. By far, the most popular Crocs product is its Classic Clog, which over the years has been reinterpreted through fashion collaborations with Christopher Kane, Balenciaga and Salehe Bembury, as well as partners like Justin Bieber, Bad Bunny and Post Malone. The company credits its success to its quirky brand identity and personalization options, which have attracted a hugely loyal fan base.

Crocs shoes are made from a proprietary closed-cell resin referred to as Croslite, which it acquired in 2004 when it bought the company Foam Creations.