#forgedrubber

[mnltolbyk]

Mr & Mrs Chrome

[mnltolbyk]

His & Hers

[probrucer]

Rad new "Forged Rubber" sneakers from Chrome Industries

I've known and loved the Chrome Industries seatbelt-buckling messenger bags, but I had no idea they were in the footwear business until I heard about an awesome new line of shoes: Forged Rubber, hand-pressed in 70 year old machines salvaged from Slovakia!

I was stoked to score an invite to the Chrome store in New York City when they came through on the Forged Rubber Tour, setting up one of these old machines and showing us the process of hot sealing the rubber directly onto the shoe. Very cool!

As part of the tour, the store had a little beer and wine reception, where we were shown the assorted models and invited to pick a complimentary pair for our very own. Did I already say very cool?!

Well, having an Imelda Marcos-like affection for a cute pair of kicks (to be clear, it's an affection, not fetish--I like to wear them, not get kinky with them!), I had to try on a few different varieties and do a lot of deliberating.

First I thought I was going to get these hot little numbers...

Then I thought maybe I'd get these handsome fellows...

But my mind kept circling around the model that was being made in front of the store, and even though it's probably the fifth pair of red and black sneaks on my shoe rack, I had to go for it.

I love the canvas, I love the stitched griffin, I love the reflective Chrome logo on the Achilles tendon, and I love the fit.

I even got a compliment on them from the president of my alma mater when I broke them out of the box for a reception at my college reunion last weekend!

If there's a Chrome store near you, I highly recommend heading there to check out the excellentness that is this Forged Rubber line (as well as their famous bags). If you're not fortunate enough to live near one of their brick-and-mortar operations, you can also score your own pair at their webstore.

I'll definitely be stopping by to buy myself another pair in the coming weeks!

[sarahpalmer]

Big thanks to Chrome for the sweet new forged rubber shoes and the tour of their factory process. They use machines salvaged from Slovakia that remind me of old printing presses. Rubber gets inserted in the bottom of the machine, heats up, and gets forged to the shoe in a few minutes of pressing. I had no idea this is how shoe soles were made. Cool! 

[benlowy]

New York City, NY | July 1, 2014 Hanging with the folks at @chrome_industries today during the launch of their new #forgedrubber sneakers. #chromeindustries #modelshot #portrait #makeportraits

[craftedmagazine]

New from Chrome Industries: "Chrome Forged Rubber Sneakers, Handbuilt To Last" http://bit.ly/1nh5zCF

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