Nancy Bocken is professor of Sustainable Business at Maastricht University. For the Third Floor, she interprets the impact of the fashion industry on the environment and she shares tips on how both the government, sneaker brands and sneaker lovers can make more sustainable choices.
The sneaker got polulair thanks to various youth cultures, but now it’s a culture in itself with its own language. In our sneaker dictionary you will find an overview of the most important, most used and sometimes just plain fun words.
Beaters
The sneakers that you wear daily. These are pairs for which it doesn’t matter if they get dirty. The word comes from ‘take a beating’ and is not only used for shoes, but also for cars. Beaters are the opposite of ‘on ice’.
BNIB/NIB/NWB
‘Brand New In Box’, ‘New In Box’ or ‘New With Box’, unworn sneakers in its original box. When sneakers are resold, they are worth more if they are in the original box.
Bred
Any sneaker with a black and red ‘colorway’. This term used to refer only to the Air Jordan in the colors of the Chicago Bulls, but now it’s used for all sneakers that are red and black. The word is a conflation of black and red.
Bricks
Sneakers that were bought to resell, but that generate less profit than expected or don’t sell at all.
Crepes/creps, kicks, pata/patta, trainers
Terms for sneakers. Crepes/creps and trainers are words used in the United Kingdom. Pata/patta is originally the Surinamese word for shoe, but nowadays it’s used in many other countries, including the Netherlands.
Colourway
The specific combination of colours applied to a sneaker.
Drop
The time when a specific model of sneakers goes on sale, also called release.
DS (Deadstock)
An unsold pair of discontinued sneakers.
Factory laced
This term is used when the laces are still laced as they came from the factory. This is considered an indication that the sneakers have not been worn.
F&F (Friends and Family)
Produced exclusively for friends, family and employees of a brand. This sneakers are not sold, but given as gifts.
FuFu
A term used for shoes that are copied from well-known brands. Fufu is a corruption of the word fugazi, which means fake in slang.
GR (General Release)
Unlimited release available to all stores. Because of the unlimited edition, these pairs are worth much less when resold than exclusive limited edition sneakers.
Grail
The most sought after sneaker, which are usually extremely rare. The word originates from ‘holy grail’.
GS (Grade School)
A sneaker designed for children. Often purchased by women with small feet at a lower price than those for adults and in unique ‘colorways’.
HS (Hyperstrike)
The most exclusive sneakers, released in very limited quantities with the majority given to a select few.
HTM
Stands for “Hiroshi Fujiwara, Tinker Hatfield and Mark Parker”. Three well-known designers who regularly join forces for Nike.
Hypebeast
People who are said to have no style of their own when it comes to sneakers and only buy popular pairs in order to follow every trend. Despite the fact that the word sounds nice, it’s seen as an insult.
NOS (New Old Stock)
The discovery of an unsold and unworn stock of old sneaker models. Often in small family businesses such as a sporting goods store, where the owners have no idea of the value of their old stock.
On ice
An unworn pair of sneakers, kept by the owner to wear in the future. There are several reasons for this: some buyers keep their sneakers for a special moment, while others wait until everyone has worn out a certain model and they still have a ‘fresh’ pair. It also happens that people buy two pairs of which they wear one and put the other ‘on ice’.
Pack
A selection of sneakers released as a group.
Player Exclusive
A sneaker design specifically for an athlete and never intended for retail.
Player Sample
Design development shoe provided to athletes for the purpose of trying out a new model.
QS (Quickstrike)
Relatively rare sneakers, typically only available in stores that carry exclusive pairs.
Raffle
A lottery where the winning participants get the chance to buy a sneaker on the day of its release. Major brands often use a raffle for limited releases to give everyone a fair chance.
Reseller
People who buy sneakers to resell them at a profit.
Retro
A subsequent release of a discontinued sneaker style.
Size Run
The range of sizes a shoe is available in.
SMU (Special Make Up)
A special production run of sneakers that can be specific to a country or even to a store.
Uptowns
Nickname for the Nike Air Force 1 that became popular in uptown New York City.
VNDS (Very Near Deadstock’)
Sneakers that have been fitted or worn only very briefly, but can still be labeled as ‘deadstock’.
110
In the United Kingdom, Nike Air Max are also called ‘one-tens’ because they cost £110 (about €130).
Gerelateerde verdieping items
Shoes made from sustainable materials such as apple leather, mushroom leather and recycled rubber are increasingly seen as an alternative to animal leather. What is the potential and what are the challenges?
A reflection on Elisa van Joolen's PORTAL 012 workshop, by writer Emma van Meyeren and photographer Nikola Lamburov.
In een wereld waar het draait om minimale marges tussen winst en verlies, delft het milieu vaak het onderspit. Fabrikanten denken vooral in winst, niet in verlies en al helemaal niet in verlies voor de planeet. Dat geldt ook voor de maker van je hypermoderne stampers.
Nike, Adidas and Puma, but also new brands are focusing on them: NFT sneakers, or virtual sneakers. Such a sneaker is a unique digital "non-fungible token" (NFT), a concept that is increasingly common in the art and fashion world. The digital shoe can be saved and later sold or worn by gamers in...
Titi Finlay is a London based content creator, sneakerhead and sneaker activist working. For the Third Floor she tries to answer the question: why can’t sneakers be gender neutral?
Some were banned, while others stir up very strong emotions, and then there are also lawsuits between makers and brands.
Designers Janntje and Toon talk about the exhibition design, details and challenges.
The sneaker industry is vast. It has grown exponentially over the last two decades and shows no sign of slowing down. In 2021, for example, about 1.2 billion sneakers were sold worldwide which is almost double the amount of sneakers sold in 2012.
Nowadays, sneaker culture is a global phenomenon, but it was born locally, even before the rise of the internet. The series Sole Origins takes you to the cities that have had a great impact on this.
Everyone can point out the sole of a sneaker, but what about the upper? Where is the mustache? And what do the eyelet and the aglet have in common? Find out in this sneaker anatomy.
Still the sneaker's popularity remains undiminished, especially among young people. Worldwide subcultures keep adding specific models to their daily uniform.
In the 1990s, the sneaker gained a foothold in the Netherlands thanks to gabbers and bubbling, but a unique way of styling the sneaker also emerged in London.
When sneaker brands realized the popularity among young people, they tried to entice them by using musicians and athletes as role models.
Sneaker culture has become ubiquitous thanks largely to the influence of young people from diverse inner-city neighbourhoods. They have been instrumental in elevating sneakers from pure sportswear to sought-after icons of style.
The sneaker industry is environmentally damaging, but there are many hopeful projects to address these problems.
Most sports shoes that we now consider groundbreaking arose from solving core design concerns, such as traction, fit, stability, cushioning and energy return can help to improve athletic performance.
In the 1990s major sports brands ventured outside their comfort zone, entering into exclusive partnerships with small retailers and progressive fashion designers.
Sneaker culture has become ubiquitous thanks largely to the influence of young people from diverse inner-city neighbourhoods. They have been instrumental in elevating sneakers from pure sportswear to sought-after icons of style.
Few objects are as universal or as diverse as the sneaker. Which is one reason why the sneaker has become the undisputed cultural symbol of our times, bridging culture, design, fashion, music and technology.