Ugg boots (sometimes called uggs)are unisex sheepskin boots, made of twin-faced sheepskin with fleece on the inside and with a tanned outer surface.
Ugg boots often have a synthetic sole, although this is not universal. Heights range from around the ankle to above the knee, they are available in a range of different colours as both slip-on and lace-up varieties, and they are produced by a number of manufacturers. The natural insulative properties of sheepskin gives thermostatic properties to the boots: the thick fleecy fibers on the inner part of the boots allow air to circulate and keep the feet at body temperature.[2] This means that ugg boots can be worn without socks even in relatively cold weather.
Ugg boots are believed to have been first developed in Australia or New Zealand, although the exact date is uncertain—they have been, at different times, identified with pilots in World War I who are said to have worn them for warmth in unpressurized planes, shearers in rural Australia during the 1920s, surfers and competitive swimmers who wore them in the 1960s and 1970s for keeping warm while out of the water. In the early 2000s, they became a fashion trend in the United States, leading to increased global sales.
There has been considerable dispute over the origins of the ugg boot style, with both Australia and New Zealand claiming to have been the originators of the footwear. Nevertheless, it appears that the boots were used by aviators during World War I, who referred to them as "fug boots" (surmised to be a shortened form of "flying ugg boots"), and that they were present in rural regions of Australia during the 1920s.While it is not clear when manufacturing started, by 1933, ugg boots were being manufactured by Blue Mountains Ugg Boots,and Mortels Sheepskin Factory were making the boots from the late 1950s.
In the 1960s, ugg boots became a popular option for competitive surfers,who used the boots to keep their feet warm after exiting from the surf.It was surfing which helped popularise the boots outside of Australia and New Zealand, when surfer Brian Smith started selling the boots in the United States through the company Ugg Holdings, Inc. in 1979. Later, ugg boots emerged as a fashion trend in the United States, with celebrities such as Kate Hudson, Sarah Jessica Parker and Pamela Anderson wearing the boots, increasing demand. However, Pamela Anderson renounced ugg boots in 2007 upon realising that they were made from animal skin.
The terms ugg boots, ugh boots and ug boots have been used as generic terms for sheepskin boots in Australia and New Zealand since at least the 1970s,although individual accounts have suggested that the terms (or variations thereof) were employed earlier. The 1970s saw the emergence of advertising using the names, but Brian Smith has stated that the boots were referred to as "uggs" long before the word was trademarked (in 1971), and Frank Mortel claims to have been making ugg boots under the "ugg" name since 1958.
Ugg boots are traditionally made from sheepskin. The wool is tanned into the leather, and the upper part of the boot is assembled with the fleece on the inside. The soles of the boots are made from rubber, and the stitching is often prominent on the outside of the boot. The fleece draws away moisture, keeping the feet dry and at body temperature. Today they come in a variety of colours, including black, pink, blue, chestnut, and fuchsia. They are available in both slip-on and lace-up varieties and their height can range from just above the ankle to above the knee.
Some variations of ugg style boots have also been made from kangaroo fur and leather.There are also synthetic boots. Although derided as "fake" by some in the industry, their lower price made them appealing to large retail chains such as Myer.