FOLLOW THE JOURNEY OF THE ICONIC YELLOW BOOT, FROM ITS GROUNDBREAKING WATERPROOF INNOVATION TO ITS WORK AND OUTDOOR HERITAGE TO ITS STATUS AS THE ARBITER OF GLOBAL BOOT CULTURE.
STRATHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE, 2024 - More than fifty years ago, The Original Timberland® Boot was born–a design that cemented the tree logo as a hallmark of innovation, durability, craftsmanship, and purpose. In the decades that followed the boot took on a life of its own—adopted by cultures across the globe, getting sh*t done—and spawned a host of new innovations. As Timberland sets its sights on the future, we look back at the boot’s journey to become the icon it is today.
The Original Timberland® Boot was the brainchild of Russian immigrant and veteran shoemaker Nathan Swartz, who had acquired Boston-based Abington Shoe Company in 1955, and his son Sidney. With a keen eye for problem-solving, they revolutionized the footwear industry by using injection molding technology and silicone-infused nubuck leathers to create truly waterproof leather work boots.
This “yellow boot” set new standards for waterproof performance – unheard of for a leather boot – and was branded with the tree logo – also unheard of for the times. People thought Sidney was crazy: “You’ll ruin the leather. People won’t want to buy it.” On the contrary, the boot became so popular that they changed the name of the company to Timberland in 1978.
The Timberland® boot, which was actually an 8-inch version of the 6-inch boot we know and love today, was born from hard work in the outdoors. Former Timberland CEO Jeff Swartz remembered his grandfather Nathan as “a man of his hands, who sweated at work, who made things with concern and care for the outcome.” With the outdoors mindset and volatile weather of New England at its core, this iconic boot was a gamechanger for workers – not only was it waterproof, but it required less cumbersome construction and materials for a more comfortable, lightweight experience.
Over time, the boot’s introduction and adoption by cultures and communities worldwide made a lasting impact. From its prevalence in Milan, where in the late 1980s the Paninaros traded their parents’ stiff tailoring for a laid-back Americana look, to the UK where the boots took off amongst ‘90s ravers as a cool and sensible footwear option for fields, farms, and warehouses. New laws would later drive the rave scene indoors to night clubs, but the boot remained a staple. In the early ‘90s in Tokyo’s Harajuku district, which had become synonymous with creativity and innovation in the fashion world, Timberland came to represent freedom of expression, individuality, and a blend of Western and Japanese style.
But Timberland’s deepest and most enduring connection has been with hip-hop culture, which began in the early ‘90s and is largely credited with making Timberland the brand it is today. In a stroke of coincidence, hip-hop was also born in 1973, coming to life at a street party in the Bronx. As the relationship between Timberland and the hip-hop revolution grew, the two together became a bold force in street style and pop culture for generations to come. The boot came to be a sartorial staple on the hip hop scene, making appearances in countless music videos and song lyrics.
Continuing to fuel the energy behind the boot and brand, in the late ‘90s Timberland began experimenting with collaborations with the industry’s most coveted brands, designers, and creatives, the first being David Z in 1998. Collabs would grow to become a staple of Timberland’s brand identity with collections including Atmos, Collette, Undefeated, Opening Ceremony, Stussy, Supreme, Alife, Pangaia, Veneda Carter, Jimmy Choo—and most recently, the iconic global luxury house Louis Vuitton. The A/W24 collaboration was revealed during men’s Paris Fashion Week in January and reinterprets American work boots through the creative lens of Louis Vuitton and the savoir faire of its Italian factories. During Paris Fashion Week Timberland also walked the runways of Wales Bonner and White Mountaineering. As part of its 50th anniversary, Timberland tapped the talents of six international designers and creatives, such as Edison Chen, Samuel Ross, and Suzanne Oude Hengel to reimagine the icon through their own lens, through the Future73 project.
Over time, the Original Timberland® Boot has inspired numerous evolutions and innovations for the brand. In 1978, the Swartz family had the vision to attach the yellow boot’s beefy lug outsole to a premium handsewn leather boat shoe upper. This not only marked the inception of the “rugged casual” footwear category, but it also kept the factories busy during the spring season. In 1988, recognizing that most hikers favored day hikes vs. multi-week backpacking trips, Timberland created a lightweight leather hiker called the Euro Hiker—combining a rich, traditional leather hiking silhouette with an EVA midsole, offering sneaker-like comfort and agility for the trail. This innovation shifted the marketplace and helped establish “day hiking” as a new outdoor footwear category. Today, the Premium 6-Inch Boot, 3-Eye Lug Handsewn Boat Shoe and Euro Hiker make up Timberland’s Original Icons.
More recently, 2018 saw the introduction of CONSTRUCT:10061, which in partnership with ConceptKicks brought together a team of innovators and creators to rethink every step of the boot making process with an eye for the future. Every year brings a new theme, with 2022 focused on sustainability and leading to a virtual design innovation project taking place entirely in Fortnite. In 2021 the brand debuted GreenStride™ comfort innovation, featuring midsoles made from 75% bio-based materials and bringing a progressive flair to several silhouettes inspired by the icon. In 2023, the Timberland® x Edison ChenFuture73Collection brought the industry-leading Timberloop™ circular design approach to the 6-Inch Boot for the first time ever.
“Over the past year, we’ve celebrated the 50thanniversary of theOriginalYellow Boot, walked the runways of Paris Fashion Week, and collaborated with some of the biggest brands in luxury, streetwear, and outdoor,” said Nina Flood,GlobalBrandPresident for Timberland. “The energy and momentum weare feeling right now has been decades in the making, thanks to the support of communities and cultures around the world who made our boot the icon it is today.We are humbled, we are grateful, and weare ready to dive in and shape the future of this amazing brand, together.”
With a rich history of craftsmanship, innovation, and cultural connectivity, Timberland has earned the position as the arbiter of global boot culture. Now, the brand sets its sights on what’s next, again calling on cultures and communities worldwide to help shape the Timberland of the future.
ABOUT TIMBERLAND
Timberland is a global outdoor and work inspired brand that’s on a mission to inspire and equip consumers to step outside, work hard together and move the world forward. Based in Stratham, New Hampshire, Timberland also has international headquarters in Stabio, Switzerland and Shanghai, China. Best known for The Original Timberland® Boot–the iconic yellow work boot introduced in 1973 to take on the harsh elements of New England–Timberland today offers a full range of footwear, apparel, and accessories. The brand is widely recognized as the arbiter of boot culture.
At the heart of the Timberland® brand is a vision for a greener and more equitable future. This comes to life through a decades-long commitment to make products responsibly, protect the outdoors, and strengthen communities around the world.
Built for Adventure. Built for Impact. Built for the Bold.
To share in Timberland’s mission, visit a Timberland® store, timberland.com or follow @timberland or @timberlandpro. Timberland is a VF Corporation brand.
