History of Converse

Converse began in 1908 as a rubber shoe company specializing in making rubber goods including boots and galoshes (rubber-based shoes). The company was called ‘Converse Rubber Shoe Company’, and was founded in 1908 by Marquis Mills Converse in Malden, Massachusetts.

Soon after, they adapted and started to use their rubber to make sneakers. By 1910, Converse was well into daily production, however, it wasn’t until 1915 that the athletic shoes come in production. The original Converse shoe, which bore the ‘All Star’ trademark, was a high-top sneaker introduced in 1917.

The company had expanded its plant to produce 4,000 pairs of boots and rubbers daily. In 1916, they were looking to expand their company and the decision was made by Converse to begin manufacturing footwear for basketball.

Converse’s golden era spanned the 1940s and the 1960s, when it became the most popular sneaker for any athletic activity. At its peak, the brand is said to have controlled 80% of the US sneaker market.

In 2001, Converse filed for bankruptcy, but Nike bought them in 2003 for $305 million and picked the company back up.

Their manufacturing was no longer in the USA after 2001 and was moved to countries such as China, India, Vietnam, and Indonesia. As of 2014, Converse has sold over a billion pairs of shoes with their signature trademarks – which include a midsole design comprising a toe bumper and toe cap, along with an upper and/or lower stripe, as well as the ‘star in circle’ logo.
History of Converse