Havaianas Flip Flops are available in the Portland Swimsuit Downtown Boutique and the NE Portland Swimsuit Boutique.

Havaianas Flip Flops, a Brazilian brand began making Rubber Flip Flops in in 1962 in São Paulo Alpargatas, Brazil.  Havaianas began to produce a sandal based on the design of the Japanese flip flop, called the zori. However, instead of using straw to make them, they used rubber, which made a very comfortable and durable sandal. In the 1960s, Havaianas were sold at small, neighborhood stores for a low price, and were purchased exclusively by the lower classes. For this reason, Havaianas were known as “chinelos de pobre” (poor man’s flip flops) during this period.

It wasn’t until 1994 that Havaianas became a success with the middle and upper classes in Brazil. Some Brazilians say it is because foreign tourists began buying the brand, but it was also because of a change in design. In this year, the company released a new line of monochromatic sandals and by 1996, Havaianas had truly become a national brand, reaching new consumers all over the country. Two years later, the brand released a special edition flip flop, Havaianas Brazil, in honor of the World Cup. The small Brazilian flag logo would be Havaianas’ new trademark.By 2000, the brand became a hit with celebrities and models, and the following year Havaianas began exporting their flip flops. Now wildly popular from the US to Australia, Havaianas have been featured in important retail stores, high end fashion shows, and even the Oscars. There are now nearly twenty different lines of Havaianas for men, women, children and babies, and an estimated 160 million flip flops are sold every year.

Popina Swimwear Downtown Portland (Pearl District, Westside, Beaverton, Lake Oswego)