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Crocs co-founder Duke Hanson reflects on the renewed popularity of the shoe brand, which celebrated its 20th anniversary with record-breaking sales in 2022.聽

Lyndon 鈥淒uke鈥� Hanson III (MBA鈥�85) has always believed in the versatility of Crocs.聽

鈥淚 never thought that the shoe was a fad, even though as most people would say, 鈥榯hey鈥檙e ugly rubber shoes with holes in them,鈥欌�� said Hanson, who co-founded the brand with friends Scott Seamans and George Boedecker Jr. in 2002.聽

Since then, Crocs, Inc. has continued to prove that comfort never goes out of style. In fact, the company ranked second on global decision intelligence firm Morning Consult鈥檚 in the United States in 2022 (Meta came in first) after ranking 16th in 2021. According to a released in November, the casual footwear giant鈥檚 revenue increased more than 57% in less than a year.聽

The rise in high-profile collaborations is also a testament to the brand鈥檚 mass appeal: Justin Bieber, Post Malone and Diplo are among the long list of celebrities who have recently worked with the company.

But Crocs weren鈥檛 always a hot, Instagram-worthy commodity. Hanson, Seamans and Boedecker debuted the first iteration of the clog 鈥� known best for its iconic cutouts and for being lightweight and slip-resistant 鈥� at a Fort Lauderdale boat show in 2002. A few years of skyrocketing demand later, the company went public in 2006, but the market crash of 2008 and impending Great Recession forced it to downsize. As a result, Hanson, the last co-founder to remain on the Crocs executive team at that time, voluntarily retired.聽

鈥淚t was very, very hectic when you grow like a hockey stick,鈥� said Hanson, referring to the company鈥檚 sudden need to cut costs for survival after a period of extremely rapid growth.

Despite the turbulence, Hanson was grateful for retirement, which enabled him to spend more time with family. He, his wife and his young daughter traveled extensively before settling in the Gunbarrel area of Boulder County. While Hanson hasn鈥檛 worked with the company since 2008, he has continued to follow the brand and isn鈥檛 surprised by its recent multigenerational appeal.

鈥淭he reason they got so big is they鈥檙e so comfortable 鈥� and the comfort shoe market is the biggest market for any type of shoe,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ack when we were blowing up between 2002 and 2008, [the growth] was driven by kids and teenagers and young people as much as the older customers who had foot and back problems that the shoes helped relieve.鈥�

And it still is, thanks in part to the company鈥檚 investment in playful designs and creative marketing to buyers from all walks of life. The shoes, which are still made with a closed-cell resin the company produces called Crolite, are now available in a rainbow of colors and a bounty of styles, from sneakers to boots and platforms to flip-flops.聽

In addition to collaborating with musicians and high-end fashion designers, the company has released designs featuring pop culture icons like Harry Potter and Ted Lasso and even food brands such as Kentucky Fried Chicken and Hidden Valley Ranch. It also offers playful customization options that promote self-expression via its patented Jibbitz charms.聽

鈥淚 think that the management of the company now has done an amazing job of using influencers and understanding the power of influencers in the marketplace, especially with young people,鈥� Hanson said.聽

Hanson鈥檚 daughter, who is now 11, and many of her sixth-grade classmates asked for Crocs for Christmas 鈥� all while the shoes continue to appeal to essential workers and consumers seeking comfort and durability.

鈥淭wenty years later and they鈥檙e still ubiquitous,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 do feel a pang of proudness. And sometimes [when I think] about the early days of the things that happened [at the company], to allow it to get to this point is very incredible.鈥�

As for Hanson鈥檚 Crocs of choice? He鈥檚 a devoted fan of the brand鈥檚 flip-flops.聽

鈥淐rocs are cool for everybody,鈥� he said.