2024.04.19

The Hawaiian Sandal Brand 'ISLAND SLIPPER' Traces its Roots to Japanese Zori

During the summer, when you want to step out with a light, relaxed attire, the brand to watch out for is 'ISLAND SLIPPER', a Hawaiian sandal brand. Using high-quality leather, the brand, which is casual yet exudes an adult vibe, is popular even in Japan. This time, we had a chance to talk with Yuki Miura and Kensuke Kariya from the public relations team at GMT inc.

ISLAND SLIPPER was founded by a Japanese immigrant who traveled to Hawaii

We would like to start by delving into the history of the brand. If you trace its roots, it leads back to a single Japanese immigrant. Let's hear more from Miura about the founding of ISLAND SLIPPER.

"Takizou Motonaga, a Japanese immigrant who moved to Hawaii, founded ISLAND SLIPPER in 1946 on Oahu Island. At that time, Hawaii wasn't a tourist destination as it is now, but an island with an image of sugar cane and pineapple fields. It was in such a place that Motonaga made his livelihood by making sandals, which is said to be the start of the brand."

Founder Takizou Motonaga (from a 1955 photograph)

"The sandals made by Motonaga were based on familiar Japanese footwear like zori and geta. In mainland America, sandals called 'Flip-Flops' were creatively called 'slippers' by Japanese people. As a result, many sandal shops in Hawaii put up 'Slipper Store' signs, and many people began to call thong-type sandals 'slippers'.

"I think this is largely due to the long-standing presence of ISLAND SLIPPER in this area."

An old photograph, with an unclear timeline. It appears to be from the beginnings.

Branding Passed Down Through Generations & Preserved Until Now

Over the close to 80 years, they have persisted through making sandals. We would like to continue to hear from him about the brand's branding.

"In the 1940s, when ISLAND SLIPPER began, there were 20 to 30 sandal brands on Oahu Island, and now, the only sandal brand that has survived from that time is ISLAND SLIPPER. It has become the oldest sandal brand in Hawaii.

"I believe this is because, even as times have changed, they have stuck to making only sandals and have continued to maintain high quality. During this long history, ownership has passed from Motonaga to John Carpenter, and currently, his son Matt Carpenter serves as the representative. Even in its third generation, the commitment to craftsmanship and dedication to making only sandals is being passed down."

The ISLAND SLIPPER office, photographed around 1968

Staff at the factory during the early days of the brand. Motonaga can be seen in the middle.

Classic Items

ISLAND SLIPPER has a long history in Japan, spanning over 30 years. Let's take a look at the items that have become classics during these 30 years. We now hear about the items from Kariya.

"The thong-type sandals are the most iconic items. After their release, the cross-type sandals were introduced, followed by the most recent model, the shower-type sandals.

"We don't know when the thong-type and cross-type models were released, but the shower-type was released between 5 and 6 years ago. I think the key feature of ISLAND SLIPPER is its cushioning.

"What is often pointed out is the comfort of wearing them, and also, the thong-type does not cause much pain between the toes. As they're made of leather, they mold to the shape of the foot the more you wear them. There's a smooth leather type and a suede type, both of which are popular."