What's an UGG?

UGG / Sheepskin Boots Defined

UGG, with a capital "U" and two G's, is a brand that makes ug/ugg/ugh boots called "UGG Australia." The term UGH is a registered trademark in Australia.

From the Macquarie Australian dictionary: ug boot /'^g but/, a fleecy-lined boot with an untanned upper.

Over 200 years ago the first European colonists settled in Australia, bringing sheep with them. Many of these colonists were English cockneys who were famous for dropping their H's when speaking. When they started making boots out of sheepskin they would say, "'Ey mate, these boots really 'ug your legs!". This cottage industry has been in existence for a couple hundred of years. Today there are more than two dozen manufacturers of ug boots in Australia and New Zealand and there are hundreds of individuals who handcraft these boots as well.

UGG Boot History

UGG Boots	The history of the Australian sheepskin boot can be traced as far back as the beginning of the 1900's when World War I pilots wore their fleece-line "Fug Boots". In 1933, shearers discovered the comfortable and warm qualities of Merino sheep skin. Mortel's Sheepskin Factory began producing a line of "ugh boots" in 1950, and it wasn't until 1960 when the first Australian surfers decided to start wearing the cozy boots right out of the water to warm their cold feet. The style of the first boot was very basic, nothing more that two pieces of sheepskin formed in the shape of a boot. The sheepskin was joined along the center and back of the boot, and attached to the bottom was a soft sole. The design of this boot was so basic that they didn't even utilize hard soles. In a sense, they were really only a very cozy sock!	WWII Pilots Wearing Sheepskin!
UGG Boots	The manufacturing company "Uggs-N-Rugs" claim to be the longest surviving Australian sheepskin footwear producer. They acted on what they saw as a big opportunity to retail the ug boots and set up their business in Western Australia in 1970. With aesthetic goals in mind, they attempted to disassociate the term 'ugly' with the boots by taking the seam out of the front and center of the boot. They began producing boots that were a three-piece style with a patterned braid down the back, gave it a stronger sole, and eventually added a stitched-in heel counter. This heel counter was stitched into the inner sole to prevent it from moving, and added a great deal of support to the boot. Now, the boot could maintain its shape—and no longer had the traditional "sock appearance—defeating one challenge that many manufacturers had not been able to achieve. Competitors have taken these ideas and come up with many new innovative fashionable styles.	Staheekum Sheepskin Boots

UGG Boots	In the 1970's, a group of entrepreneurs started selling the boots to surfers, and with the growing trend, the boots eventually made it overseas. In the last 30 years, ug boots gradually became more abundant in the U.S., as more people became aware of the unique characteristics of sheepskin. In 1978, a man named Brian Smith, a young Australian surfer, brought a core piece of sheepskin to the United States. He set out with about two dozen pairs of what is now called UGG sheepskin boots, and pursued NYC retail stores in anticipation of making his "sheepskin to riches" story become a reality.		Koolaburra Sheepskin Boots

	Three days later he was still without any takers, and almost completely out of money. Brian still had the two dozen UGG boots and was frustrated with his lack of success. Being committed to his goals and extremely persistent, Brian continued to work diligently in his efforts to convince Americans that these Australian boots had an appropriate spot in the U.S. market. Finally, Brian realized that the UGG boots would probably be most successful if he aimed his campaign at American surfers, as they were (and still are) the choice for surfers' feet in Australia. He soon came to realize there was an existing group of surfers who had brought ugs back from Australia to share with their American surfing friends. In Brian's first season of business, he sold only 48 pairs of boots to only 5 different buyers!
However, with the help of Californian surfers who became aware of the beauty of these sheepskin boots - the incredible warmth, ultimate comfort and cozy sheepskin, Brain's hard work paid off. Now, the popular "UGG" or "UGG Australia" brand is sold from LA to New York to London. Other styles have also been developed beyond just boots to include shoes, slippers, clogs, and various other 'all-season' products. These are all made of the same high quality Australian sheepskin, and SheepskinShoes.com carries them all.

With Brian Smith's success, he registered the term "UGG" as a US trademark, and then sold it and the company to a California company "Deckers Outdoor Corporation". Recently, Deckers has been pursuing Australian manufacturers who have been using the generic term ugg, ug, or ugh to describe their boots. The Aussies contest that they have been making their boots long before the UGG's trademark was even registered in the U.S. Their presumption is that the term "UGG" is as generic as the term "sneaker".

Regardless of what the correct use is, UGG Australia has done a great job in marketing their very classic cozy sheepskin boots from Australia. No matter what they're called, there is definitely a wide variety of other sheepskin boot manufacturers to choose from that make very similar products, including Emu, Acorn, Minnetonka, Koolaburra, and Aussie Dog. You can find all of these brands, as well as the UGG Australia brand, at SheepskinShoes.com.

UGG Brand Boots

The UGG Australia company is one of original ug boot brands. UGG Australia has made and continues to create many fashionable new sheepskin boot styles that look and feel great. UGG Australia, Emu, Koolaburra, Aussie Dog, Minnetonka, and Acorn are all manufacturers of these types of sheepskin boots that have taken this wonder material and made it look fashionable. Check them all out at SheepskinShoes.com!

UGGS
Koolaburra
Emu
Bearpaw
Aussie Dogs
Staheekum
Warmbat
Ulu
Cloud Nine
Minnetonka
Acorn
Sven
Chooka
Simple
Pure OZ Australia

Custom Sheepskin Boots
In the world of fashion, there has been a new trend emerging around UGG boots. In 2003, Footwear News Magazine picked UGG Australia as the shoe of the year. Customizing these sheepskin boots has become increasingly common, possibly as a result of UGG boots' newfound popularity. Whatever the reason, instead of being satisfied with wearing the stock form of Koolaburra sheepskin boots, Tattoo-Design images or various type designs can be imprinted on the boot itself. We can be certain this trend will continue to grow as more new and repeat buyers learn of the option to personalize their boots. You can see these Tattoo-Design boots at KoolaburraBeach.com! With the increasing movement toward unusually-styled sheepskin boots, Emu is on top of their game with their newest designs. Recently, these boots have indisputably been the hottest form of footwear, and Emu is now turning to new themes to help their boots stand out from the crowd. One of Emu's variations (pictured, right), features ornament-like objects that have been added to create a unique look for men and women. These boots are embroidered and equipped with silver pendants, and are available in various other styles. Other exclusive Emu styles take the original sand, black, or pink boots and bind things such as dangling daggers, embroidered gothic lettering, and even oversized buckles, to the boot's surface. Emu is definitely breaking new ground.
A cozy sheepskin boot is a great boot to have on your feet year round. No matter what brand you decide to buy, you are going to love them! Enjoy our large selection of sheepskin shoes, boots, clogs, sandals, and slippers, and thank you for surfing at SheepskinShoes.com ... "Where You Can Surf for Any Style"