Based in Lake Forest, California, Etnies is a footwear brand owned by Sole Technology, Inc., and launched in 1986. Current owner, founder, and former professional freestyle skateboarder, Pierre Andre Senizergues started working in design at Etnies, and created several of the shoe models including the “Senix,” “Lo-Cut,” and “Intercity,” among others that were all designed to enhance the skateboarding experience.

Pierre was also responsible for bringing the brand to the United States, where he built Sole Technology, Inc., and eventually added Emerica, Thirty Two, and eS. He also created the Sole Technology Institute, the world’s first and only biomechanical research organization dedicated to skateboarding.

Etnies manufactures and sells shoes for men, women, and children, which includes a Skate Collection made especially for skateboarders, tested and designed by skateboarders; a Vegan Collection, which is animal-free; and its Buy A Shoe Plant a Tree Collection that is helping to reforest Sao Paulo, Brazil’s Atlantic Rainforest. Since this program began in 2011, Etnies and Trees for the Future have planted more than 280,000 trees in Costa Rica and Brazil; after planting one tree for each pair of shoes purchased in this collection.

While particularly known for their footwear, Etnies also has apparel for men and children that includes jackets, sweatshirts, pullovers, hoodies, knit shirts, t-shirts, jeans, pants, shorts, snapbacks, beenies, and backpacks.

In 2003, Etnies and the city of Lake Forest opened the largest public skatepark in the state of California, Etnies Skatepark, measuring 40,000 square feet. Aside from their Buy a Shoe, Plant a Tree program, Etnies donated shoes to the homeless and needy in Los Angeles in 2012 during an Easter shoe drive, where 2,000 pairs of shoes were given away.

Currently, the Etnies skateboarding team is made up of professionals Ryan Sheckler, Jose Rojo, Tyler Bledsoe, David Reyes, Willow, Nick Garcia, Julian Davidson, and Cairo Foster.

Pierre is a true believer that the successful brands of tomorrow must lead by example and impact their customers’ lives in a positive manner, while simultaneously working well with the environment. Pierre has made a promise that his brands will continue to give back to the community, implement environmentally friendly ideas, and maintaining a dedication to becoming carbon neutral by the year 2020.

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