Quiksilver and Roxy Partner with Flip Flop Shops to Help Fight Heart Disease
Limited edition customer-designed flip flops raise funds for the American Heart Association® during June’s “Stress Free America” Month
Can flip flops help fight heart disease? Popular outdoor sports apparel and footwear brands Quiksilver and Roxy have teamed up with fast-growing retail chain Flip Flop Shops® to say: yes! Today, the companies unveiled two stylish limited edition flip flops to be sold exclusively at Flip Flop Shops 100-plus locations in support of the retailer’s “the Heart To Sole: Creating a Stress Free America™” campaign. Throughout the month of June, Roxy and Quiksilver will donate fifty cents from the sale of each limited edition flip flop to the American Heart Association®’s My Heart. My Life.(TM) initiative for a total of $20,000.
The two new styles, one Quiksilver and one Roxy, were designed through a special in-shop contest held last summer inviting Flip Flop Shops fans to submit their original artwork for a chance to design their very own flip flops for retail. Among hundreds of entries, the winners were Annie Gavilanes, 14, of Daytona Beach, Fla., and Amanda Monroe, 19 of King of Prussia, Pa., whose vibrant designs were chosen for the Quiksilver and Roxy flip flops respectively.
The cause-based flip flops will be available in all Flip Flop Shops locations this June, in conjunction with the company’s “Stress Free America Month” campaign that raises funds and awareness to combat stress, particularly in the workplace, and its possible links to heart disease. The cause is very close to Flip Flop Shops as the company’s President underwent shocking emergency open heart surgery in 2012 at just 38 years old.
“As someone who lives a healthy and active lifestyle I was completely stunned when I learned I had heart disease, which the doctors attributed in part to stress I experienced in my early career,” said Brian Curin, the President and Co-founder of Flip Flop Shops (size 10). “As a company, our mission is to help people ‘Free Their Toes®’ and embrace the relaxing benefits of flip flops and casual footwear for healthier, low stress living. Through Flip Flop Shops’ cause-based campaigns we have already raised more than $50,000 for the American Heart Association and plan to do much more.”
“We are grateful to have the support of Quiksilver and Roxy to champion heart disease fundraising and awareness efforts,” adds Darin Kraetsch, the CEO of Flip Flop Shops (size 10). “We know these limited edition sandals will be a hit with our fans.”
The new sandals were hand sketched by each winner, who were then flown to the Quiksilver, Inc. headquarters in Huntington Beach, Calif. last fall to see their designs come to life through the production process. The Quiksilver “Molokai Gavi” sandal features a weathered green, yellow and red checkered design and are available in men’s styles, while the Roxy “Tahiti” flip flop boasts an intricate black and white Polynesian-inspired print and are available in women’s sizes. The sandals will be sold exclusively at all Flip Flop Shops locations while supplies last, and the talented teen winners will receive a royalty for each pair purchased.
Flip Flop Shops is a strong supporter of the American Heart Association through its corporate “the Heart To Sole: Creating a Stress Free America™” campaign established by Curin after his heart health scare. As part of the campaign, Flip Flop Shops rallies around June as “Stress Free America Month” and also organizes a special Flip Flop Fridays initiative throughout the month. The program invites companies everywhere to support the cause by encouraging employees to wear flip flops to work each Friday, in exchange for a $5 donation to benefit the American Heart Association.
“Quiksilver and Roxy are excited to support Flip Flop Shops through our new sandals that give back to the heart health cause,” said Bob McKnight, Executive Chairman for Quiksilver, Inc. “As beach-minded lifestyle brands, flip flops are a part of our DNA. We are happy to know that through our partnership with Flip Flop Shops, they support a great cause too.”
