Footwear Statistics

Last Updated on: January 13th, 2024

Here is a collection of some of the most interesting footwear statistics and fun facts I have stumbled across in my internet travels. These posts cover both the footwear industry and individual companies.

Footwear Fun Facts

The oldest known shoes in the world are a pair of sandals that date back to approximately 8,000 BCE, found in Fort Rock Cave in Oregon, USA.
The world’s most expensive shoes, valued at $15.5 million, are the Passion Diamond Shoes, which are made of gold and encrusted with diamonds.
The highest pair of platform shoes ever made measured 19.1 inches tall and was created by Japanese designer Noritaka Tatehana in 2010.
The average American woman owns 19 pairs of shoes, according to a survey by ShopSmart magazine.
The world’s largest sneaker collection belongs to Jordan Geller, who has over 2,500 pairs of sneakers in his collection.
In ancient Egypt, only the Pharaoh was allowed to wear sandals that had toes pointing upwards, while everyone else had to wear sandals with toes pointing downwards.
The word “sandal” comes from the Greek word “sandalon,” which means “a flat-soled shoe.”
The world’s oldest leather shoe, dated to approximately 3,500 BCE, was found in Armenia and was made from a single piece of cowhide.
The first rubber-soled shoes were invented by Charles Goodyear in 1839.
The first high-heeled shoes were created in the 16th century for men to wear while riding horses, to help keep their feet in the stirrups.