Uggs History

The Australian ugg boot traces its origins back to at least early last century when World War I pilots were pictured wearing their fleece-lined "Fug Boots" (Presumably flying ugg boots!). Blue Mountain Uggs go back to 1933 with shearers finding them cosy and warm and in the late 1950's, Mortel's Sheepskin Factory began producing a line of "apache ugh boots". Then in the late 1960's Australian surfers started making boots out of sheepskin to keep their feet warm when they were out of the water. To make these boots they would sew sheepskin hides together with a soft sole attached to the bottom. Yes - they didn't even have hard soles. In fact, they were really only a glorified sock. These original boots were not pretty to look at, in fact they were rather ugly, which it is believed where the term Ug originates from... Ugly boots - Ugg boots. However we rather believe that Ug was derived from the word hug because they are hugs for your feet!

Ug is a generic term, which has been used in Australia for many years to describe this style of sheepskin boot. It is a product description, not a brand name. Ask any Australian what an ugg boot is and they'll say sheepskin boot. It's as 'ocker' (slang for 'Australian') as meat pies and kangaroos.

Over time, many manufacturers and retailers of sheepskin boots have cropped up. One Australian fellow - Brian Smith - took some sheepskin ugg boots from Australia to the US and began selling them. Variations of his story can be found all over the web but there were many others who also sold ugg boots throughout the world even before him. Eventually, in the mid-1990's, a big US footwear company Deckers Outdoor Corporation, bought into the ugg boot scene. Sadly, Deckers have laid claim to the term "ugg" despite its generic-ness and public domain use (and its entry into many aussie slang dictionaries) and despite other Australian manufacturers also selling them into the US as an 'ugg boot' from as far back as their origins can be traced. We have been informed by a representative of Ugg Australia (12 Dec 2003) that no footwear is made in Australia anymore. A portion is made in New Zealand with the rest being made in China. This is despite much of the product being labelled 'Original UGG Australia'. Ironically, no 'bricks and mortar' retailer in Australia sells the US Ugg Australia brand. Why? Who really knows... maybe because they are simply too expensive when compared to the local - more genuine - product.

The ugg boot story is now a classic David and Goliath battle. The smaller, original, Australian long-term manufacturers are being pushed around (and literally just that - receiving 'cease and desist letters' and 'legal threats') by Ugg Holdings (yes - the American company) who on the one hand claim they sell an original Australian ugg boot yet the majority, if not all (their representative now (18 Dec 2003) can't decide whether some are still made here in Australia or not) are made outside of Australia (in fact - many in China).

Want to give support to the Aussies fighting the US company trade-marking the generic term "ugg" (and its various spellings)? Visit the Save Our Aussie Icon site.

Sections of Ugg boots history supplied by Aussie Things.

You can visit Wikipedia for more info about Ugg boots.

For anyone in search of Australian sheepskin footwear, we implore you to support the original Australian manufacturers, buy your genuine Australian sheepskin footwear from UggIsBoots, Uggs-N-Rugs or find another dinky di Australian manufacturer and/or retailer.

Please don't confuse our CUSTOM MADE BY UGG GENUINE AUSTRALIA label with other Ugg or Uggs labels, such as the American brand UGG® Australia.