How a Brazilian flip-flop took over the world

Witness History

BBC

History, Personal Journals, Society & Culture

4.4 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 21 May 2024

⏱️ 11 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In 1962, a new brand of footwear launched that would become one of Brazil’s most successful and best-known exports: Havaianas. As the country’s footwear industry started to expand, one company wanted to make something that was comfortable, inexpensive, and ideal for South America's long hot summers.

Havaianas soon became the favourite of the working class because of their affordability. Fast forward almost forty years and they featured on catwalks in Paris and Oscar goody bags in Hollywood, a surprisingly journey from their modest beginnings as the choice of farmers, builders, and tyre fitters.

Johnny I’Anson has been speaking to former employee and author Sergio Sanchez about the birth of a humble flip-flop, and how they became a global success story selling 250 million pairs a year.

(Photo: Rows of brightly coloured Havaianas flip-flops. Credit: Miguel Schincariol/AFP via Getty Images)

Transcript

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0:00.0	Take some time for yourself with soothing classical music from the mindful mix,
0:06.0	the Science of Happiness Podcast.
0:08.0	For the last 20 years I've dedicated my career to exploring the science of living a happier more meaningful life and I want
0:14.4	to share that science with you.
0:16.1	And just one thing, deep calm with Michael Mosley.
0:19.4	I want to help you tap in to your hidden relaxation response system and open the door to that
0:25.4	calmer place within. Listen on BBC Sounds. Hello, welcome to the Witness History Podcast from the BBC World Service with me Johnny Ayanson.
0:41.6	We're going back to Brazil in the 1960s to the invention of a type of footwear
0:46.0	that would become one of the country's biggest exports and eventually spread the samba spirit
0:51.0	around the globe but never lose its Latin American roots.
0:54.6	Because Brazil is south of the equator it was the middle of winter when we arrived but
1:01.0	with the temperatures in the mid-90 and the sun blazing down, you've never
1:04.7	have known.
1:05.8	The rubber flip-flops are being produced in the same factory for at least 30 years, all
1:11.0	in Brazil.
1:12.1	It's amazing. The production is anywhere around six pairs per second.
1:16.4	And imagine that you blink, six pairs. You blink again, six pairs.
1:20.8	Havayana's are one of the most popular flip-flops in the world.
1:24.6	250 million pairs are sold each year in over 100 countries.
1:28.8	Sergio Sanchez worked for the company for eight years, overseeing their expansion into Europe and also co-authored a book on the company.
1:36.2	It's a brand with a humble yet mysterious beginning launched in 1962 by the parent company Al-Pagattis.
1:43.6	Nobody knows for sure who created the product.
	...

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