Introduction:
Shoes... they play such an important role in skating. Everyone has a preference. Vans, Converse, DC, Etnies, and so many others. From board feel to quality, each shoe is a little different. As a shop, we have done a lot of research on different shoes and their craftmanship. In the end, we found one brand that stood out and has stood up to the test of time.
Very soon, Etnies will be joining our long list of brands that we carry in-store. As a little introduction, we are going to explain a little bit about the history and manufacturing process of Etnies. And as a little bonus, some of our favorite skaters that wear them!
History:
Origins in Paris (1986)
Etnies was born out of frustration on the streets of Paris. Pierre-André Senizergues — a French freestyle skateboarding champion (12 French titles, multiple European and World titles) who'd trained as an engineer and worked briefly at IBM — grew tired of watching regular tennis shoes shred apart from grip tape and hard landings, with duct tape as the only fix. Along with a crew including Platoon and the Rautureaus, he set out to design the first genuinely durable skateboarding shoes.
The name itself came from "Etnics," inspired by Parisian skate crews and shortened/altered to signal a new global tribe of skaters — though other accounts note the switch to "Etnies" was also prompted by a naming conflict with a similarly named brand.
Coming to America
Senizergues moved to California in 1985 to chase a skateboarding career, at one point winding up homeless and doing skate demos on the Venice boardwalk to get by, until Sims Skateboards team manager Steve Rocco spotted him and brought him onto the team. He kept designing shoes on the side, and by 1987–88 etnies released its first pro model — a shoe developed with input from skate legend Natas Kaupas. Senizergues formally brought etnies to the U.S. in 1988.
Building an empire
In the early 1990s Senizergues launched three more brands — éS, Emerica, and ThirtyTwo — eventually buying the etnies brand outright and consolidating everything under a new parent company, Sole Technology. By his own account it was "a mega struggle for 7 years," but etnies took off in 1994, kicking off roughly 14 years of major growth through the action-sports boom of the '90s and 2000s. Sole Technology was headquartered in Lake Forest, California.
Manufacturing:
Manufacturing philosophy: durability by design
Etnies still runs on the same outsourced-contract-manufacturing model most skate brands use — design and R&D handled in-house, physical production done by overseas factory partners (primarily in Asia, with Vietnam now the leading source for etnies and sister brand Emerica, having shifted away from earlier China-based production). A few things define the current build:
- Michelin® rubber outsoles — etnies markets its current lineup around Michelin rubber outsoles, reinforced construction details, and durability-focused engineering aimed at giving skate shoes long-lasting performance.
- Vulcanized and cup-sole construction — still the two core building methods depending on the model, continuing the durability-first approach the brand was founded on in 1986.
- Sustainability-oriented materials — water-based cements over petroleum-based ones on most cup-sole product, plus recycled materials in select lines, carried over from the sustainability push of the 2000s–2010s.
- Design roots stay skater-led — pro riders (Andy Anderson, etc.) are directly involved in shoe development, a legacy of the brand's original "designed by skaters, for skaters" model.
Sustainable manufacturing push (2000s–2015)
A 2008 company-wide eco-audit examined production practices, water usage, waste, and carbon emissions, building on a 2000 internal resolution to become carbon neutral by 2020 — a target the company actually hit five years early, in 2015. That included building out solar-powered factory operations and opening a purpose-built, highly efficient European headquarters in Amsterdam in 2013 with 60 solar panels and geothermal heating.
Skaters:
Etnies have a long list of notable names in their history. From the early days, their brand has always been at the forefront of innovative skaters. With pro shoes for iconic names like Elissa Steamer and Natas, this brand has always supported branching out and diversity in the skateboarding world.
Some more modern names, like Ryan Sheckler and Chris Joslin, Etnies is still at the top of its game. Chris Joslin, Thrasher's Skater of the year in 2025, was sponsored by Etnies.
Another big name is Andy Anderson. A skater for Powell Peralta, Anderson has been sponsored by Etnies since 2022, giving him four years with the brand and still counting! He has his own pro shoes, the Locut.
