The Australian Sheepskin boots known as Ugs, Ughs, as Uggs have been manufactured in Australia for nearly two centuries. Brian Smith, who is the founder of USG Holdings, Inc. says, "We always called them Uggs, long before it was a trademarked brand".

Definition from The Macquarie Concise Dictionary (the official Australian Dictionary): ug boot: boot from Australia lined with 100% merino sheepskin. Also known as ugh, or ugg boot.

The Story of Ug Boots

Ug Boots: the original. This sheepskin boot, made in Australia, is not branded as Ug, (also refered to in Australian dictionaries as “Ugg” and “Ugh”) but is a generic word. “Ug” is Aussie slang for “ugly”. However, the beauty of this boot lies in its comfort, not its appearance. Australian Merino sheepskin is very soft and gives the boot a fit that is snug and warm, yet it is sturdy enough to be worn in the rugged outdoors With its comfortable fleece lining, the boot can surprisingly be worn year round. Acting as an insulating material similar to goose down, the plush fleece traps body heat to keep your feet warm. However, the natural-fiber fleece wicks perspiration away from your feet in the summer heat, keeping them cool and dry.

Growing Up in Ugs

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Several small manufacturers were producing Sheepskin Boots by the 1970’s in Australia’s largest west coast city, Perth. With a climate similar to that of Southern California, Perth is also a mecca for “surfies”, as the Aussies call surfers, boasting well-known surfing sites at nearby Margaret River. The local Aussie surfing community was the first to adopt Ug Boots as their favorite footwear, and Ugs came to symbolize the surfie lifestyle in Australia.

The Spread of Ug Fever

Ugs soon spread from Western Australian beaches to Brisbane and down to Sydney on the East Coast, where surfers could be seen wearing them. I didn’t take long before some surfers, who went from riding waves in the summer to shushing down ski slopes in the winter, to discover that their Ugs were as suitable in the Snowy Mountains ski resorts as they were on the sand at Bondi Beach in Sydney. When Aussie surfers traveled the world in their quest for the perfect wave, they were the first to introduce the comforts of Ug Boots to their counterparts in Southern California. Surfers living in Los Angeles quickly embraced the fashion and could depend on their Aussie mates to send them Ugs from “down under”.

The Essentials of Ugs

The “secret” of Ugs is out, today. The versatile Ug Boots are fashionable from the beaches of San Diego to those of Santa Cruz, and you will see them in ski resorts from Lake Tahoe to Vail, Colorado. These boots are now imported regularly by several companies, so you no longer need an Aussie “mate” to send them to you. If you’re look to purchase the real deal, be cautious and know what to look for, for there are a number of importers who sell knock-offs, and whether they call them Ugg, Ug, or Ugh, the quality falls short of the genuine article. To get genuine Ug Boots that are constructed with the features that made them so sought after, be sure that… They are constructed with 100% Merino Sheepskin from Australia. You can then be confident that your boots are made from the highest quality sheepskin available.

Please Note…

Be cautious of cheap knock-offs… several commercially available boots are constructed using cow suede, and cut sheepskin fleece is sewn onto the inside. It would be unwise to chance purchasing these boots… cow suede doesn’t “breathe” as does 100% sheepskin, and your boots will soon become sweaty and smelly. As cleverly as these boots are made to look like the genuine article, they come up short in comparison to comfort and quality of authentic Ugg boots.