Vibram

File:Vibram Carrarmato sole.png

The deaths of six of Bramani's mountaineering friends in the Italian Alps on September 15, 1935, were partly blamed on "inadequate footwear". The tragedy drove Bramani to develop a new climbing sole.{{cite web|url=http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/bramani.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080424011859/http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/bramani.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 April 2008|title=Inventor of the Week: Archive|publisher=Web.mit.edu|date=24 April 2008|access-date=14 June 2010}} Two years later, he patented his invention and launched the first rubber lug soles on the market with a new tread design called the "Carrarmato" (i.e. "tank tread"), with the financial backing of Leopoldo Pirelli of Pirelli Tyres.

The sole was designed to provide excellent traction on the widest range of surfaces and have high abrasion resistance. It was made using the latest vulcanized rubber. The first successful ascent to the summit of K2 was made by an Italian expedition wearing Vibram rubber on their soles in July 1954.{{cite web|url=https://vintageexpeditions.wordpress.com/2019/01/14/the-original-vibram-sole/|title=The original Vibram sole|website=vintageexpeditions.wordpress.com|date=January 14, 2019|access-date=October 4, 2020}}

The company opened a store in Boston in 2012 to showcase their FiveFingers line of glove-styled shoes.{{cite web|url=https://www.sgieurope.com/vibram-has-inaugurated-a-special-store-at-292-newbury-street-/35745.article|title=Vibram has inaugurated a special store at 292 Newbury Street...|website=sgieurope.com|date=April 16, 2012|access-date=November 22, 2020}} The shop was relaunched in April 2020.{{cite news|url=https://fdra.org/latest-news/vibram-relaunches-boston-newbury-street-store/|title=Vibram Relaunches Boston Newbury Street Store|website=fdra.org|date=April 16, 2020|access-date=November 22, 2020}} A Vibram Academy opened in London in 2016.{{cite web|url=https://eu.vibram.com/en/vibram-opens-its-academy-in-london.html|title=A new Vibram Academy opens in London|website=eu.vibram.com|date=September 29, 2016|access-date=October 4, 2020}}

Vibram soles are manufactured in Brazil, China, Italy, the Czech Republic, and the United States and are used by more than 1,000 footwear manufacturers in their products.{{cite web|title=VIBRAM > About Us > Facts & Figures|url=http://www.vibram.com/index.php/us/VIBRAM/About-Us/Facts-Figures|publisher=www.vibram.com|access-date=25 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825211550/http://www.vibram.com/index.php/us/VIBRAM/About-Us/Facts-Figures|archive-date=25 August 2012|date=5 January 2021|url-status=dead}} In the United States, the soles are made under exclusive license by Quabaug Corporation of North Brookfield, Massachusetts which was acquired by Vibram in June 2015.{{cite news |url=https://www.snewsnet.com/press-release/vibram-usa-acquires-quabaug-corporation |title=Vibram USA Acquires Quabaug Corporation |website=snewsnet.com |date=June 2, 2015 |access-date=January 5, 2021}}{{cite news |url=https://www.rubbernews.com/article/20150702/NEWS/306299976/vibram-acquires-quabaug |title=Vibram acquires Quabaug |website=rubbernews.com |date=July 2, 2015 |access-date=January 5, 2021}}

Although the brand is best known among the outdoor and mountaineering community, Vibram produces numerous models of soles that are specifically designed for fashion, military, rescue, law enforcement, or industrial use. Vibram also produces soles that are used exclusively for footwear resoling.{{Cite web |title=The Vibram Brand {{!}} VIBRAM |url=https://www.vibram.com/us/products/br_our_brand.html |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=www.vibram.com |language=en}}

With its FiveFingers line of shoes, which mimic the look and mechanics of being barefoot, Vibram helped to inspire the movement of barefoot running and running while wearing only minimalist footwear. Referring to the period of the late 2000s, SneakerFreaker Magazine said, "A barefoot revolution was underway, and the Vibram FiveFingers was leading the charge."{{Cite web |last=Vuong |first=Minh |title=Feet First Into the History of the Vibram FiveFingers - Features |url=https://www.sneakerfreaker.com/performance/features/vibram-fivefingers-history |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=sf-performance.netlify.app |language=en}} However the company also agreed to settle a lawsuit that claimed that it had misrepresented the health benefits of running in its shoes.{{Cite news |last=Bernstein |first=Lenny |date=8 May 2014 |title=People who bought these Vibram FiveFinger shoes may be entitled to a refund |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2014/05/08/say-it-aint-so-vibram-say-it-aint-so/ |newspaper=The Washington Post}}{{cite web |date=February 27, 2013 |title=Study: Vibram FiveFingers Lead to Greater Risk of Foot Bone Injury |url=https://www.runnersworld.com/gear/a20805943/study-vibram-fivefingers-lead-to-greater-risk-of-foot-bone-injury/ |access-date=July 5, 2021 |website=runnersworld.com}}

Vibram soles are a market leader in hiking soles, chosen by shoe manufacturers for their reputation for traction and durability.{{Cite web |date=2018-12-09 |title=The Big Question: Which rubber sole is the stickiest? |url=https://trekandmountain.com/2018/12/09/the-big-question-which-rubber-sole-is-the-stickiest/ |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=Trek and Mountain |language=en-GB}}{{Cite news |date=2024-10-16 |title=The Best Hiking Boots |url=https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-hiking-boots/ |access-date=2024-11-22 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |last=Werner |first=Philip |date=2022-02-24 |title=Are Vibram Soles Good for Hiking and Backpacking? |url=https://sectionhiker.com/are-vibram-soles-good-for-hiking-and-backpacking/ |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=SectionHiker.com |language=en-US}}

A lawsuit was filed against Vibram in April 2012, over claims made about their Vibram FiveFingers, their minimalist shoe.{{cite web|url=https://www.postandcourier.com/staff/david_quick/lawsuit-filed-against-vibram-fivefingersvibram-hits-its-stride/article_292d5b40-c190-5c16-88fe-ee973e455de9.html|title=Lawsuit filed against Vibram FiveFingersVibram hits its stride|author=David Quick|work=postandcourier.com|date=April 9, 2012|access-date=November 22, 2020}} Vibram claimed that the shoe "reduce(s) foot injuries, and strengthen(s) foot muscles." The claim was based on Gert-Peter Bruggermann's research, accepted at the 2005 Conference for the International Society of Biomechanics.

Later, a controlled study published in July 2013 showed that the risk of bone marrow edema among new wearers increased during their respective transition periods to minimalist shoes when worn for extended periods.{{cite journal|title=Foot bone marrow edema after a 10-wk transition to minimalist running shoes|date=July 2013|pmid=23439417|doi=10.1249/MSS.0b013e3182874769|volume=45|issue=7|journal=Med Sci Sports Exerc|pages=1363–1368|last1=Ridge|first1=ST|last2=Johnson|first2=AW|last3=Mitchell|first3=UH|last4=Hunter|first4=I|last5=Robinson|first5=E|last6=Rich|first6=BS|last7=Brown|first7=SD|url=https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3042&context=facpub|doi-access=free}} While Vibram, according to court papers, expressly denied "any actual or potential fault... or liability", it was announced in 2014 that the company had moved to settle the suit and agreed to set aside $3.75 million to pay refunds of up to $94 to anyone who had purchased the product since March 21, 2009.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-27335251|title=Vibram in $3.75m settlement over false health claims|website=bbc.co.uk|date=May 8, 2014|access-date=November 22, 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2014/05/08/say-it-aint-so-vibram-say-it-aint-so/?tid=hpModule_1f58c93a-8a7a-11e2-98d9-3012c1cd8d1e|title=People who bought these Vibram FiveFinger shoes may be entitled to a refund| first = Lenny | last = Bernstein|newspaper=Washington Post|date=May 8, 2014|access-date=May 8, 2014}}

Vibram shoes were sported by European statesman Jean Monnet, one of the founding fathers of the European Union. He specifically mentioned them in an interview he gave in 1955 to French journalist André Fontaine for French newspaper {{lang|fr|Le Monde}}, in which he hinted at the forthcoming creation of the Action Committee for the United States of Europe.{{cite news |newspaper=Le Monde |author=André Fontaine |title=M. Jean Monnet déclare que la création des États-Unis d'Europe peut seule stabiliser les rapports Est-Ouest |date={{date|1955/06/16}} |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/1955/06/16/m-jean-monnet-declare-que-la-creation-des-etats-unis-d-europe-peut-seule-stabiliser-les-rapports-est-ouest_3141285_1819218.html }}

Vibram soles were used as a product placement for Bee Movie in 2007.{{cite web |date=May 23, 2019 |title=Vibram Boots in Bee Movie (2007) |url=https://productplacementblog.com/cartoons-and-animation-movies/vibram-boots-in-bee-movie-2007/ |access-date=September 27, 2020 |website=productplacementblog.com}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Vibram}}

• [http://www.vibram.com/ www.vibram.com] — (official site)

Category:Italian companies established in 1937

Category:Clothing companies established in 1937

Category:Companies based in Lombardy

Category:Italian brands

Category:Italian inventions

Category:Shoe companies of Italy

Category:Sporting goods manufacturers of Italy

Category:Shoe brands

Category:Climbing and mountaineering equipment companies