Crocs, listed among Time Magazine’s 50 worst inventions, have taken the world by storm – and Bronx Science students and faculty are living proof. The idea for this rubbery footwear surfaced in the 2000s, when Americans Scott Seamans, Lyndon Hanson, and George Boeddecker Jr. desired a comfortable boating shoe while sailing in the Caribbean. Utilizing Foam Creation’s (a Canadian company) Croslite material, these three inventors procured the makings of a masterpiece. In 2002, “Crocs” came to life. This moniker took inspiration from crocodiles, known for their adaptability across terrestrial and aquatic environments.
In 2005, Sheri Schmelzer made waves in the world of Crocs… unintentionally. Sheri, a stay-at-home mom of three, crafted insertable charms out of clay and rhinestones to adorn her family’s shoes. Her husband, Rich Schmelzer, saw potential in these designs, encouraging Sheri to develop a sales website. By August 2006, the family-operated business had amassed a large fortune: $2.2 million for its 6 million minuscule “Jibbitz” charms. This brand name came from Sheri’s nickname, “Flibbidee Jibbitz,” referencing the Middle English word “Flibbertigibbet,” a whimsical young woman. This pays homage to Jibbitz’s creator while perfectly capturing the charms’ fun and playful nature.
Understandably, Crocs wanted in on the fun. But how did this smash hit translate to a cash-in? I reached out to Andrew Rees, Crocs’ Chief Executive Officer (CEO), to get a better read on the situation. In my exclusive interview with him, Rees noted, “This [Crocs’ Jibbitz acquisition] has been very important to drive very high levels of consumer engagement. Crocs bought Jibbitz back in 2006 for $10 million in cash with a $10 million earn-out. The Boulder-based entrepreneur who founded Jibbitz received all $20 million of the brand. This has proved to be a great acquisition for the Crocs company.” Essentially, Jibbitz functions as a subsidiary, or daughter company, of Crocs. In the year following the acquisition, Crocs’ revenue surged 138.9% to $846.4 million. Together, Crocs and Jibbitz seemed like the epitome of symbiosis.
A pair of Classic Clogs has twenty-six combined holes, perfect for Jibbitz charms. That’s twenty-six opportunities for self-expression in a single pair of Crocs. I sat down with Vanessa Wu ’25 and Felicia Zhongzhang ’25 to weigh the shoes’ pros and cons. Vanessa told me, “I think Crocs are a microtrend that will fizzle out. When more people jumped on the bandwagon about Crocs, everyone felt compelled to purchase their own pair; the way I see it, they just promote capitalism and mass consumer culture.” Felicia appeared offended at this answer, so I eased the tension by asking about her favorite Jibbitz. “My favorite Jibbitz is Suzy Sheep,” Felicia responded proudly. Skeptical, Vanessa remarked, “Maybe that’s a sign you like to follow the herd…of consumer culture.”
Perspectives like Vanessa’s were widespread by 2008. As Crocs fatigue ensued, disaster struck. The financial crisis marked the beginning of Crocs’ downfall, as the company laid off 2,000 employees and lost nearly half of its profits. Although the company ultimately avoided collapse, it seemed like Crocs would never regain its former splendor.
However, this did not stop then-CEO John McCarvel from trying. Crocs began to imitate shoe styles beyond the Classic Clog, hoping to win over consumers through versatility. In 2012, the brand partnered with renowned golf instructor Hank Haney. At the 2012 Professional Golfer’s Association of America merchandise show, Crocs showcased its new golf shoe collection – ultimately named one of the “Best New Products” there. Two years later, Crocs expanded this effort, releasing five distinct golf shoes, including two male and three female models. Each shoe featured a footbed and outsole made of Crocs’ signature Croslite material and upper regions made of leather. Some of the models, like the Crocs Drayden 2.0, incorporated breathable mesh for even greater appeal.
Recognizing this innovation, the Blackstone Group, a private equity company, offered a $200 million bailout to revive Crocs. In exchange for its generosity, Blackstone requested that Crocs give up two board seats to Blackstone members and develop even more unique designs. Accordingly, Crocs introduced the Blitzen convertible winter shoe, high-heeled pumps, Kids’ LEGO Mammoth Clog, and leather boot. Then, the worlds of comfort and high fashion collided when Crocs first graced the runway. During London Fashion Week in 2016, Crocs collaborated with designer Christopher Kane to produce a collection of silver and gold shoes with gemstone Jibbitz. A year later, Crocs revealed its Balenciaga platform shoe during Paris Fashion Week.
By 2018, the Blackstone bailout had worked its wonders. Compared to revenue losses of 9.7% from 2013 to 2014, Crocs’ overall revenue rose 6.3% over 2017. Crocs capitalized on this renewed success, buying back over half of their shares from Blackstone. This gave them greater control over their own company.
In an attempt to sustain this progress, Crocs accidentally sent its cult-like following into a frenzy. The company announced it would close down 160 retail stores and all of its manufacturing facilities in 2018. CEO Andrew Rees reasoned that outsourcing production to third-party manufacturers in China and Vietnam would help reduce costs and increase profits. Today, twenty six third-party factories exist worldwide. Still, the Croc Nation (Crocs’ loyal fan base) continued supporting the company.
Crocs held potential collaborators to this same standard of loyalty. In 2018, Crocs’ chief marketing officer, Terence Reilly, set his sights on Post Malone, a Grammy Award-nominated artist. Reilly, a marketing genius for both Crocs and the Stanley Cup, was drawn to Post Malone’s tweet seven years ago: “U can tell a lot about a man by the Jibbits on his Crocs.” Their first collaboration, the Dimitri Clog, sold out in less than 10 minutes. Crocs and Post Malone went on to release four more collaborations, many of which involved philanthropic elements. During the fourth collaboration in 2019, Post Malone gave away free Crocs to employees and customers at the Chicken Express he once worked at in Texas. During the pandemic, he gifted 10,000 pairs of his Crocs to healthcare workers at 70 hospitals worldwide.
Post Malone x Crocs gave rise to a new era of iconic Crocs Clog collaborations. The company started partnering with more celebrities like Justin Bieber, Luke Combs, and Bad Bunny. Crocs were suddenly ‘cool’ and ‘trendy.’ In 2020, their profits increased by 15.7%.
Crocs’ motto might as well be “a company that yearns is a company that earns,” because even after such remarkable success, the company still longed for more. In 2022, Crocs acquired HeyDude, a loafer brand, for $2.05 billion. However, this acquisition left Crocs employees saying ‘Come on Dude…,’ as it dragged down their otherwise flourishing business. A 14.5% sales drop for HeyDude merchandise translated to an 18% decline in Crocs stocks.
Resultantly, Crocs shifted its marketing strategy to prioritize fans’ desires. Rees dedicated an entire month, called ‘Croctober,’ to his supporters’ creative visions. During Croctober 2023, the brand introduced a viral Classic Cowboy Boot and crowned 95 die-hard fans ‘Croc Stars,’ sending them each a pair of boots with a special ‘Croc Star’ Jibbitz attached. Crocs’ designs grew increasingly outlandish in 2024, as evidenced by the Pringle Crocs, boots complete with a set of chip canister ankle-holders.
Of course, with fame came skepticism. Environmental advocates began questioning Crocs’ sustainability, criticizing their production process. Headlines like “6 Eco-Friendly Alternatives To Crocs For Happy Feet – Green With Less” and “Are Crocs Sustainable? Plus 5 More Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Crocs” began circulating the internet.
For decades, creating a pair of Crocs required small molecules in crude oil to be chemically converted into longer polymer chains, forming a plastic material called EVA (‘plastic’ refers to any man-made polymer). Sadly, EVA is non-biodegradable, meaning these Crocs could not break down in landfills.
Luckily, Rees recognized the carbon footprint his shoes were leaving behind, and change is now on the horizon. In 2021, Crocs introduced a bio-based Croslite material, Ecolibrium, aiming to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels. Two years after Ecolibrium’s introduction, Crocs reduced its footprint from 3.94 to 2.56 kg CO2. The company’s 2023 Comfort (Sustainability) Report outlines even greater goals, like achieving net zero emissions by 2040. Just like paper, these new Crocs are made from trees! That is, crude tall oil, a byproduct of the wood pulping process, is the primary ingredient in Ecolibrium.
Crocs also recently introduced a shoe recycling program, entitled “Old Crocs. New Life.” The shoes’ single-material composition coupled with Crocs’ durability makes recycling easy! In October of 2023, the pilot version launched, encouraging Crocs owners across ten U.S. states to donate their old shoes to a Crocs store nearby in exchange for a limited-edition “Crocs Saver” Jibbitz. Manufacturers reused 25% of material from these donated shoes to concoct the “Keep it Going Clog.” This effort expanded in 2024, with collection boxes popping up in all continental U.S. retail and outlet stores. Crocs also created accessible, online recycling opportunities, allowing consumers to mail their Crocs back free of charge in exchange for a 10% brand discount. More gently used pairs of Crocs are accepted by Soles4Souls, a nonprofit organization that fights poverty through shoe donations.
So, what is next for Crocs? Rees explained that his company’s first order of business is to “continue to innovate on the Icon, the clog, new styles, and collaborations.” Crocs is also looking to “develop a compelling sandal product as well as explore new categories like bags and accessories.”
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to run to the store to buy Crocs’ hottest new releases. It is time to put my Crocs in Sport Mode.
“My favorite Jibbitz is Suzy Sheep,” Felicia responded proudly. Skeptical, Vanessa remarked, “Maybe that’s a sign you like to follow the herd…of consumer culture.”