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COOL
JAPANESE
SHOES
.COM
You might have just discovered FUGU or have been a strong supporter for many years, but most of you will not know that the beginning of the FUGU journey actually began in 2003, during our travels in Japan, and was initially inspired by the unique and traditional style of the Tabi shoe.
We wanted to create a shoe which would be the perfect mixture between Western and Japanese aesthetics and our own personal sense of style. We placed importance on comfort, style, versatility, sustainability and ease of wear, together with our personal morals and ethical beliefs. The end result? The Fugu shoe collection that you see and wear today.
WHAT DOES "FUGU" MEAN?
This is a question we receive often, and we want to take a moment to explain the story behind our name – because we think it’s a pretty cool one.
FUGU in Japanese is a blowfish.
Here at FUGU, we have been inspired and in awe by the underwater world that hosts some of the most incredible creatures on this planet. In the depths of the ocean, the blowfish resides. This harmless-looking creature, that when threatened puffs up to 3 times its size, and is considered to be the second most poisonous creature in the world. The blowfish has only a select few enemies that succeed in hunting or harming it, without dying from its poison first.
The blowfish is the untouchable creature of the ocean. Not only do we think this creature is pretty rad, we strongly connect to its strength, modesty and edginess, which we believe represents our brand very well.
Our brand name is not the only underwater creature you can find on our site - every product of ours is named after an underwater creature in Japanese.
OUR CORE BELIEFS
- “To have a pair of shoes that are so comfortable, so natural, that it feels as if you are walking barefoot, as if you are not wearing anything at all. We aim for our shoes to help you come closer to this naked state of being, to help you maintain the connection to your inner sense of peace, whilst deceivingly still wearing something beautiful on your feet.“
As a brand and as a team, we are highly influenced by the Japanese culture. We are also a very spiritually led team, and believe in the yogic principle of Ahimsa, the principle of non-violence. Our shoes and products are always 100% cruelty-free and vegan.
This combined with the additional ingredients of zen living, karmic cycles, wabi-sabi, and minimalism, our passion for natural comfort and the importance of a barefoot feeling is the recipe for the FUGU shoes you know and wear today.
The final outcome? The “superfood” of shoes, our “superboots”: created from a combination of canvas, cotton and recycled rubber, in minimal block colors. It is 100% cruelty-free, vegan, flexible and versatile, and has a zero-drop sole for a barefoot feeling and natural body posture and support. Style, comfort, versatility, and respect for all living forms. Period.