In a saturated world, where shoes can also be found at the supermarket, we wonder whether it makes sense to introduce a new shoe brand in 2025.
This is different if the wearers are to be skateboarders, who know exactly what they need to have and “how they wanna feel to be part of a brand”.
So does it make sense to launch a new brand of skateboard shoes today?
if the brand is founded and run by skateboarders it will make even more sense.
It is good to see new brands created and run by skateboarders being born today that we live in uncertain times.
So, find below a list of shoe brands skateboarders owned and operated or in any case created for skateboarding.
One of the latest introduced in October 2024 is Warsaw behind this brand a name that is not new in skateboarding: JAMIE THOMAS
About Warsaw:
Drawing from nearly three decades of design and brand-building expertise, Jamie Thomas proudly introduces WAR SAW, an independent style conscious skate inspired footwear & apparel brand with an intent focus on comfort & durability.
WAR SAW aims to fill the void in the market for the evolving skateboarder, musician or artist by offering a minimalistic & thoughtful approach to timeless footwear & apparel silhouettes. All of our products are made with premium materials & are only available through select retailers & our website.
Created by Bryan Herman and Dennis Martin as an authentic skate and lifestyle footwear company within the skateboard industry, HOURS Footwear is a destination for quality product made by Skateboarders with everyone in mind.
Product line consists of Skate and Casual Footwear including apparel, and home goods that reflect our design aesthetic. Herman and Martin come with over 15 years experience in footwear from design, merchandizing, and marketing. We're going inside out with everything we do and it starts with Skateboarders and Skateboarding first.
Dedicated to restoring authenticity in the skateboard industry, HOURS IS YOURS pays homage to the legends that have inspired us while creating opportunity for future generations.
Pontus Alv – (Co-Founder / Designer)
I like turning dreams into reality. I love creating & making things; everything from the perfect shaped board to solving the skaters "pants nightmare". They say, if you can't find it design it or if you are unhappy with something well shut up and make it better.
My first big dream in life was to become a pro-skater in U.S.A which felt like an impossible mission in the 90's. Well at least when you live in a small town in Sweden. With a bit of luck a bit of talent and what not somehow that happened.
At some point in my pro-days I felt that I wanted to express my own ideas create my own films & projects. Present my perspective on our culture and show how we via DIY spirits, community, friendship can create great things together... (dream two)
Well about about 10 years ago I felt that I no longer could connect with the direction our industry was going, it felt stale & strange. So I started my own board company, Polar Skate Co (dream three)
The past years or so when I look out at the so called skate shoe landscape there is something about it that feels off & weird these huge corporations running things their way... It's a feeling and like I said above if your are unhappy with a situation shut up and do something about it...(dream four has started). – Alv
Sami – (Co-Founder / Designer)
Me and my friend Daniel had been working in the apparel industry for well over a decade before we started our own company in 2018. We named the company Last Resort AB and the brand "3-3-20" a seemingly random numerical sequence that held a personal value, but kind of stupid from a branding perspective. We began making high-end sneakers, sold in some stores in Japan only.
In 2019 I was talking to Pontus whom I've known since the early nineties through skateboarding in Sweden. He was chilling at his local beachfront bar in Portugal. We talked about life, personal values and breaking free from the corporate world. As it turned out we also shared the same dream in creating a shoe company. We decided then and there to join forces and re-launch our company with Pontus onboard as an equal partner. We set a goal to perfect and bring out our first shoe made for skateboarding and beyond, and we are stoked to finally release something that really represents our vision and requirements.
is for today’s youth. We are skaters, artists, activists, fashion designers, music producers, founders and creative directors. We look different, act different and think differently.
We believe in self-expression and creating what’s next. Product is forward, fluid and unexpected. We tell stories through bold messaging, vivid color palettes and unmatched value.
Who we are today isn’t nearly as important as who we can become tomorrow. —ANGEL
STRAYE supports skateboarding, including our team: Boo Johnson, Jamie Thomas, Antwuan Dixon, Dane Vaughn, Windsor James, Lem West, Brandon Turner, and Axell Hodges.
Built by skateboarding since 1986, etnies is the first skateboarder-owned and operated footwear & apparel company.
Founding and Innovation. Founded in 1986 by former professional skater Pierre André Sénizergues, Etnies began as Etnics before rebranding due to legal challenges. Based in Lake Forest, California and owned by Sole Technology, Inc., the brand quickly earned a reputation for its performance-driven designs.
The company was founded in 2018 by David Python and Fernando Porto while they were at Harvard University studying for their MBA.
Cariuma takes sustainability seriously. They use eco-friendly materials, such as recycled plastics, cork, and organic cotton, in their products. The company also offsets its carbon emissions from shipping and production, making their sneakers a great choice for environmentally conscious consumers.
Emerica shoes are designed by skaters, for skaters, to meet the rigorous demands of the streets with a distinct aesthetic. This is Emerica.
Emerica is the member of the Sole Tech Inc.'s Skateboard Shoe brand that was started by World Champion freestyle skateboarder Pierre André Senizergues in 1996.
FP Footwear is a skateboarding shoe brand renowned for its innovative designs and commitment to enhancing skate performance. A standout feature of their footwear is the Dynamic Gait Stabilization (DGS) System, which offers superior shock absorption and joint support. This system adapts to each foot strike, providing biomechanical joint support and up to 91% impact protection, setting it apart from traditional skate shoes.
Skated by Neen Williams, Aaron “Jaws” Homoki and Joey Brezinski.
Opus means 'work’ in Latin, and the idea behind the brand is about the work you put into yourself, your community, and the people that support you. Opus is a collection of people and projects—we started it so we can work with friends, both old and new. Our goal is to support doing good in the community.
éS is one of the few skateboarder owned and operated footwear companies in the world and has been since 1995. Our passion for inspirational Skateboarding, Design, and Style permeates throughout the global skate community.
was founded in San Clemente, CA in 1999. Since then, C1RCA team has worked to become one of the most established skate shoe brands in the industry.
The brand was started by skate legends Chad Muska and Jamie Thomas. Over 20 years later, the brand continues to produce some of the best skate shoes on the market. They're no stranger to innovative designs, such as the legendary "Weed-Stash-Pocket", a zip pocket in the tongue of Chad Muska's pro model shoe - designed to help prevent unpleasant discussions with the law. A milestone for C1RCA was the 2006 release of their video "It's Time".
The video raised the bar for skateboarding and pushed the brand to a new height of popularity. Their team has changed many times over the years, but they have always maintained a high-level group of pro skaters to represent the brand.
The current USA pro team includes: Adrian Lopez - he has been in C1RCA since the very beginning - James Brockman and James Martin. As always, C1RCA remains "Committed to Skateboarding"!
THANK YOU to anyone that has ever worn C1RCA, or is about to… we will always consider you family.
C1RCA is distributed in Europe by Option Distribution.
founded in 1995 in Los Angeles, California, is a global skate shoe company dedicated to having fun and always pushing forward. We design a diverse range of performance skate shoes and lifestyle footwear with a focus on originality, quality, and innovation for those who share our passion for skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding, motocross, and defying boundaries.
is an American footwear company based in Torrance, California, that creates shoes designed for and inspired by skateboarding. Lakai was founded in 1999 by the professional skateboarders Mike Carroll and Rick Howard, who co-founded Girl Skateboards.[
Osiris is a popular brand known for its skateboarding shoes. The company, founded in 1996, gained recognition for producing high-quality footwear designed for skaters, with an emphasis on durability, comfort, and style. Osiris shoes often feature bold designs, bright colors, and durable materials that make them suitable for both street skating and casual wear.
The brand has been associated with some famous professional skateboarders, and its shoes have become iconic in the skateboarding culture. Models like the Osiris D3 became legendary for their high-top design and chunky, bold aesthetic, and the brand also focuses on creating sneakers that blend functionality with fashion.
If you're looking for more specifics about a particular model or the latest releases from Osiris, let me know!
Fallen Footwear is an American skateboarding footwear and apparel brand founded by professional skateboarder Jamie Thomas in 2003, after leaving Circa. The company which was out of the market for almost two years (2016–2017) has now been acquired for a global re-launch by Town Connection, an investment group with its headquarters in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Globe was formed by the brothers Peter, Stephen and the current CEO Matt Hill, they are one of the World's largest skateboard distribution companies. Globe specialise in purpose-built street fashion apparel, footwear and skateboard hard goods (decks, wheels, trucks, etc).
GRAVIS SKATEBOARDING | SHOES
Gravis was born in 1998 as a shoe brand derived from the snowboarding brand Burton with the concept of after-snowboarding. After that, it penetrated street culture not only through snowboarding but also through surfing and skating. The brand's concept is to improve lifestyles by developing sneakers that are not only comfortable but also have excellent design and functionality to wear after snowboarding, skateboarding, or surfing.
Dedicated mag readers will may have noticed that Gravis is gettin' the gang back together. Maybe not the whole gang, but they’re gettin’ the mind behind the Dylan-era team and vision—Mark Oblow. Not only did the press release say he’ll join as a creative advisor, but also a rider. Could an Oblow part be in the works? That might be thinkin’ too far ahead. Suffice to say, Gravis has their former captain back and the relaunch is in full force.
Vans (originally called the Van Doren Rubber Company) is an American apparel, accessories, and skateboarding shoes brand, established in Anaheim, California, and owned by VF Corporation. The company also sponsors surf, snowboarding, BMX, and motocross teams.[3] since 1996 to 2019, and 2025, the brand has been a primary sponsor of the annual Warped Tour music festival.
As a dedicated and driving force in skateboarding since 1992, Element has evolved to span the space between skateboarding, nature and culture for more than three decades. Born from a need for a new and positive path for skateboarding, our drive has remained the same since those early years. Day after day, we are pursuing a new conscious path for positive change, from our roots in the streets to our future in nature. More sustainable, more eco-friendly and more committed.
Since our birth in 1986, Airwalk Shoes have been one of the brands that launched and built the action sports community. We are fueled by passion and progression, driven by people pushing innovation, supporting the scene, and taking risks.
