GEOX

The ‘shoe that breathes’ is a perception, an idea, a promise that has been a cornerstone of Geox’s corporate mission since the very beginning: the creation of well-being and absolute comfort.

Breathing means continuous innovation, research and experimentation: this is a philosophy that combines creativity and performance, style and technology and respect for the environment and for people.

Nearly 25 years have passed since Mario Moretti Polegato, founder and President of Geox, conceived of the revolutionary solution of piercing the rubber soles of his shoes to allow his feet to breathe during a trip under the hot sun of Reno, Nevada. Why not create a product that maintains the flexibility and strength of rubber soles, whilst also providing excellent levels of transpiration and breathability?

On his return, Moretti Polegato developed his flash of intuition in the workshop of a small footwear company owned by his family and developed a new technology for rubber soles. He patented it immediately and created the first “breathing shoe”. After having offered his invention to well established footwear companies without success, and after having passed a market test with a range of kids shoes, Moretti Polegato began manufacturing shoes independently. The initial patent was gradually improved and the range of products was extended to include men’s and women’s ranges as well as kids products.

This is how everyday design encountered avant-garde technology, symbolising in the very name of the project its link with nature and real life. The word Geox is made up of Geo – the Greek word for “earth” – and the letter X, the symbol of our most advanced  technologies, developed in Italian laboratories and protected by worldwide patents. This name captures our effort and energy, our drive and know-how, our care and attention to detail, placing research at the service of quality and everyday elegance.