Tourism News
5 Fun Facts about Flip-Flops
Let’s face it, most of us walking around Myrtle Beach are sporting every beachgoer’s favorite footwear – flip-flops! Flip-flops are the perfect choice of footwear during the warmer months in Myrtle Beach, as the open design keeps your feet cool, and they are also, of course, the best thing to wear on the beautiful sandy beach. Some locals will even tell you that they wear them year-round!
But while we love flip-flops so much, we have to admit that we don’t know much about them. Here are 5 fun facts about flip-flops that any beach bum will be interested to know:
1.
It is estimated that flip-flops were first used around 4,000 B.C, according to Ancient Egyptian murals. However, the first documented account of flip-flops being worn is from 15,000 years ago during the Stone Age.
2.
While we have flip-flops that are made from leather, suede, foam, rubber, plastic, hemp, and more, did you know they are made with other unconventional materials in other places in the world?
•Ancient Egypt used papyrus and palm leaves
•The Masai tribe in Africa used rawhide to make their flip-flops.
•In China and Japan, the people used rice straw
•Flip-flops in Mexico were made from the yucca plant
•People in India used wood for their flip-flops
•South Americans used leaves of the sisal plant to make twine for their flip-flops
3.
Flip-flops first become popular in America when soldiers came home from World War II with Japanese zori.” They became increasingly popular by the 1950’s and were being mass-produced throughout the United States.
4.
It is estimated that producing flip-flops is a $20 billion industry.
5.
While we call them flip-flops, here are other names for the footwear from around the world:
•Tongs – Cambodia
•Dacas – Somalia
•Vietnamki – Ukraine & Russia
•Djapanki – Bulgaria
•Sayonares – Greece
•Japonki – Poland
•Chinelos – Brazil
•Slops – South Africa
•Schalpfen – Germany
•Zori – Japan •Thongs – Austrailia
