 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Footwear |
| Founded | 1937 |
| Headquarters | , Italy |
| Products | Rubber Soles Footwear Disc Golf Discs |
| Website | www.vibram.com |
Vibram S.p.A. is an Italian company based inAlbizzate, Italy, that manufactures and licenses the production of Vibram-brandedrubber outsoles forfootwear. The company is named after its founder, Vitale Bramani,[1] who is credited with inventing the first rubber lug soles.[2][better source needed] Vibram soles were first used onmountaineering boots, replacing leather soles fitted withhobnails or steelcleats which were commonly used up until then. The soles produced by Vibram are called Vibram soles, Vibram rubber, or simply Vibram.
The deaths of six of Bramani'smountaineering friends in theItalian Alps on September 15, 1935, were partly blamed on "inadequate footwear". The tragedy drove Bramani to develop a new climbing sole.[3] Two years later, hepatented his invention and launched the first rubber lug soles on the market with a newtread design called the "Carrarmato" (i.e. "tank tread"), with the financial backing ofLeopoldo Pirelli ofPirelli Tyres.
The sole was designed to provide excellent traction on the widest range of surfaces and have high abrasion resistance. It was made using the latestvulcanized rubber. The first successful ascent to the summit ofK2 was made by anItalian expedition wearing Vibram rubber on their soles in July 1954.[4]
The company opened a store inBoston in 2012 to showcase theirFiveFingers line of glove-styled shoes.[5] The shop was relaunched in April 2020.[6] A Vibram Academy opened inLondon in 2016.[7]
Vibram soles are manufactured inBrazil,China,Italy, theCzech Republic, and theUnited States and are used by more than 1,000 footwear manufacturers in their products.[8] In the United States, the soles are made under exclusive license by Quabaug Corporation ofNorth Brookfield, Massachusetts, which was acquired by Vibram in June 2015.[9][10]
Although the brand is best known among the outdoor andmountaineering community, Vibram produces numerous models of soles that are specifically designed forfashion,military,rescue,law enforcement, orindustrial use. Vibram also produces soles that are used exclusively for footwear resoling.[11]
With its FiveFingers line of shoes, which mimic the look and mechanics of beingbarefoot, Vibram helped to inspire the movement ofbarefoot running and running while wearing only minimalist footwear. Referring to the period of the late 2000s,SneakerFreaker Magazine said, "A barefoot revolution was underway, and the Vibram FiveFingers was leading the charge."[12] However the company also agreed to settle a lawsuit that claimed that it had misrepresented the health benefits of running in its shoes.[13][14]
Vibram soles are a market leader in hiking soles, chosen by shoe manufacturers for their reputation for traction and durability.[15][16][17]
Alawsuit was filed against Vibram in April 2012, over claims made about theirVibram FiveFingers, theirminimalist shoe.[18] Vibram claimed that the shoe "reduce(s) foot injuries, and strengthen(s) foot muscles." The claim was based on Gert-Peter Bruggermann's research, accepted at the 2005 Conference for the International Society of Biomechanics.
Later, a controlled study published in July 2013 showed that the risk ofbone marrow edema among new wearers increased during their respective transition periods to minimalist shoes when worn for extended periods.[19] While Vibram, according to court papers, expressly denied "any actual or potential fault... or liability", it was announced in 2014 that the company had moved to settle the suit and agreed to set aside $3.75 million to pay refunds of up to $94 to anyone who had purchased the product since March 21, 2009.[20][21]
Vibram shoes were sported by European statesmanJean Monnet, one of the founding fathers of the European Union. He specifically mentioned them in an interview he gave in 1955 to French journalistAndré Fontaine for French newspaperLe Monde, in which he hinted at the forthcoming creation of theAction Committee for the United States of Europe.[22]
Vibram soles were used as aproduct placement forBee Movie in 2007.[23]
