10 Things You Didn't Know About Timberland Boots

Image via Complex Original

Believe it or not, the Timberland Company wasn't always known as such. In 1952, founder Nathan Swartz purchased half of the Abington Shoe Company (he ended up buying the remaining interest in the company three years later). It was only in 1978 that the company adopted the new moniker.

A millie of Timberland's classic boots were sold by 1985. Damn. That's a lot of Timbs. Especially for the pre-Internet days.

According to Timberland, the company's sales more than tripled in the '90s—the same time the boots became a huge part of hip-hop and urban culture. The '90s were all about the classic six-inch boots. We saw Das EFX, Mobb Deep, DMX, and more rock them in their videos, at performances, and at events. Biggie even name-dropped the brand in a verse when he said he liked black Timbs and black hoodies in "Suicidal Thoughts."

Timberlands were big in the streets, and according to this New York Times article by Michel Marriott, the boots were more popular than Jordans in the early '90s. Fashion and retail experts said that Nike, Reebok, and Adidas created hiking-style boots and shoes to compete with the demand for Timberland's products.

Sneakerheads everywhere are shaking their heads right now.

1973 was a big year for both the company and the people who would later wear (and love) the brand. It was at this time that Timberland created its first guaranteed-waterproof boots—the same boots you wear now to trek through the snow. Thank you for keeping our socks (and feet) dry, Timberland.

Timberland was real serious about its waterproof testing. In the early 1970s, the leather boots were left overnight in a factory toilet to see just how waterproof they were. Both awesome and sort of disgusting.

Thankfully, waterproof testing has changed since. Today, standardized testing uses machinery to flex, submerge, and evaluate.

Timberland was the first to do a few things, including becoming the first boot manufacturer to put an ad on TV. The company edged out its competition and made whoever was in second place feel like the first loser.

In the mid-'80s Timberland created its classic boots for the ladies, and in honor of the release, the company ran a two-page, black-and-white ad in The New Yorker. Included in the ad was a dealer listing for upscale retailer Bergdorf Goodman, which apparently was about that life. 

What happens when a guy like Shaquille O'Neal, who's a size 22 (sometimes 23) in shoes, wants Timbs? The company custom makes one for him. Timberland created a size 23 version of its classic boots for the former NBA player, which was later displayed in store windows to get some buzz.

All eyes were on New York City on 9/11. To help, Timberland pulled its Timberland Premium Waterproof boots from its stores and delivered them to Ground Zero for the rescue workers, whose shoes reportedly melted.