Clog-Blog

It might sound rather peculiar, but it is said that a person’s favourite colour tells us something about their character. So what is your favourite colour? As you see, Suecos® professional shoe wear comes in many pretty colours which inspired us to put together a list of the most common colours and their symbolic meaning for you:

Red – This signal colour even has two meanings. On one side it stands for danger, but also for love and sensuousness. People who favour red often tend to be extroverted, impulsive and know what they want. Red is the colour of energy.

Pink – is probably the most feminine of all colours. It suggests briskness, liveliness and affection. People with pink being their favourite colour are usually very creative, imaginative and even playful.

Orange – makes us feel warm and cosy, however not just because we relate it to tropical fruit or sunrises. It was also found that orange has an appetizing effect. If you like orange you are likely to be a very sociable person and mostly in a positive good mood.

Green – This colour makes us first think of nature, growth and vigour. Besides it is the colour of hope and luck; and on most people it has a harmonising and calming effect. Most fans of the colour green tend to be rather calm, balanced and optimistic.

By the way, besides its positive influence on light reflection and visual differentiation in hospitals, “surgical green“ has yet another advantage: Because green and blue are associated with calmness, most patients feel less unsettled by colourful scrubs than white coats.

Blue – stands for trust and peace and has a calming and reassuring effect on us. It is also related to friendship, harmony and reliability. On the other hand it can seem a little cold. Those who love blue are likely to be diplomatic, kind and caring.

Purple – is the colour of spirituality and feminism. It is also seen as secretive, exceptional and intuitive and is something for idealists and free spirits. It stands for self-assurance, relaxation and placidity. People who favour purple often have great humour and are creative and imaginative.

White – stands for purity, cleanliness and perfection. It is the colour of innocence and modesty. Who likes white is often rather reserved and even-tempered and can well appreciate spending time on their own.

Black – is associated with power, strength and mystery, but also makes us think of grief and evil: black is worn on most funerals. However the LBD (or little black dress) will never be out of fashion. This colour stands for elegance and grandeur. Many people who prefer black tend to be rather realistic, success-oriented and can be a little secretive.

Of course there are a lot more colours around and they all have a different impact on every individual, so that it really can’t be generalised.

We love our insoles because they make our day so much more comfortable. In winter they keep our feet warm and throughout the year they prevent foot perspiration. No more foot pain or fatigue after long walking or standing in less comfortable shoes.

However, in order to keep them comfortable and hygienic they regularly need care and attention. Here are 12 tips how to care best for your insoles:

1. Wash your feet before slipping into the shoes.
2. Remove insoles from your shoes over night, so that they can dry naturally at fresh air – especially when they are wet.
3. Leave wet insoles dry slowly; away from heat or sunlight since heat can easily deform them.
4. Wash synthetic insoles or gel inserts in soapsuds and dry them with a cotton towel.
5. To remove odour you can soak insoles in vinegar essence and wash them afterwards.
6. Use foot deodorant to avoid unpleasant odour.
7. If the insoles cannot be washed use a cleaning spray. (You can buy it in almost every clothing shop.) Where applicable you can also use sanitary wipes – never on leather material though.
8. Only clean leather insoles with leather cleaning products. Don’t rinse the insole, dry and buff the leather with a soft cloth.
9. Regularly use anti-bacterial spray to remove bacteria or mildew. Let the disinfectant remain for a few minutes before wiping the product away with a clean cloth.
10. If you prefer not to wear socks you can wrap feet liners (small sock liners) around your insole. This reduces odour and the liners can be exchanged easily.
11. Never put insoles in a washing machine or dryer nor expose them to strong heat.
12. Regularly change your insoles.

It is generally recommended only to use insoles in shoes, which already come with a removable foot bed or even insoles. In that case you can just exchange them and your insoles won’t compromise on your feet’s wellbeing by taking up more room.

Especially our models SKOLL and THOR go well with insoles.

Our feet are more important to us than we think. They are in charge of our balance, our mobility; and they have even more sensory cells than our face. In a way, our wellbeing relies on our feet, however most of us don’t pay as much attention to them as they deserve.

Often, it is not enough to wear professional, high-quality shoes in order to keep your feet fit after a long working day. To keep them beautiful and healthy, a certain care is necessary. Here we have put together a few tips and tricks about how you can keep your feet fit and healthy without much effort:

Relaxation:

1. A short footbath (of 37-40 degrees) activates not just your feet but also your nerves and will make your whole body feel better.
2. Massage them with circular, gentle moves across the main joints of the foot. It would be even better if you got them massaged professionally.
3. Freeze a bottle of water and – especially after a long, exhausting working day or after the gym – roll it under your feet to cool down.

Stretching, particularly after exhausting days:

1. Roll a massage ball with your feet.
2. Grab small items with your toes.
3. Pick up a cloth with your toes from the floor.
4. Tear a piece of paper with your toes.
5. Stand on your toes and rotate your heels at the same time.
6. Spread your toes apart and move them in together again.

Also, a great way of training your feet is by walking barefoot regularly.

Did you know that 9 in 10 women wear shoes that are too small?

Proper selection of size and fitting are essential. This is why we have put together 12 tips to help you choose your Suecos® size correctly.

1. Use our conversion chart to select the right shoe size according to your region. Start off with the size that you would normally wear. 
2. If you pick a model that comes with an insole, choose one size bigger. Remember that insoles affect the way a shoe fits: for example our Nordic model comes with an insole and therefore has a smaller fitting than other models. Always get one size bigger if you will need an insole!
3. If you are in between sizes, we recommend taking the bigger size rather than the smaller size. (For example if yours is EUR 37.5, get EUR 38)
4. When trying new shoes, make sure to wear the same type of socks that you will usually wear in these shoes.
5. Consider that your shoes should always be one thumb’s width longer than your longest toe while standing.
6. When standing, wiggle your toes to check if there is enough space in the shoes.
7. Avoid buying shoes that are too small. Don’t think that they will change: they won’t expand over time!
8. Bear in mind that your feet continue growing as you get older, so your size might change.
9. Normally your feet are at their largest in the evening, so we always recommend trying new shoes towards the end of the day.
10. All our models have been designed following the standards for professional use in working environments. Therefore the first premise is to provide safety and stability for your feet. To achieve this, the security strap gives great support when worn at the heel. The strap will stretch over time.
11. If you suffer any foot condition, please let your sales person know and they will indicate the best Suecos® option for you.
12. Best tip to ensure a perfect fit: TRY THEM ON! Walk for a bit in both shoes. Do you feel the extraordinary comfort?

Read more on how to choose your Suecos® here.

Imagine a professional runner wearing ballerinas when training – that doesn’t seem right?

As you know, professionals need appropriate footwear, suited for their individual needs and working environment. It is essential for their health and safety at work; and of course staff efficiency. Just as the athlete needs professional running shoes in order to meet his target, staff needs adequate footwear to work effectively.

Socrates once said: "when your feet hurt, you hurt all over" which can impede work. Health problems can be avoided if employers and professionals are consciously aware of the risks and proactively choose safe and comfortable footwear. In the long run it will avoid health issues and therefore reduce sick leave.

Additionally following 7 actions should be taken to reduce feet and back problems and improve your staff’s health and productivity:

1. Avoid fixed positions and increase the number of body motions. This can be done through job rotation.
2. The floor can be crucial to reduce accidents and foot pain.
3. Teach correct postures for dealing with heavy loads.
4. Advise on adequate shoe maintenance.
5. Add health signs in the workplace, for example to raise awareness of steps or slippery grounds.
6. Ensure sufficient natural light.
7. Flexibility and non-slip properties (both floor and appropriate footwear) reduce accidents at work.

Suecos®’ mission is to bring you the best of both: design and comfort. Our shoes protect staff´s feet from risks they are continuously exposed at daily level. We are aware of your needs such as toe protection and non-slip properties, just to name a few. We want you to feel energized, healthy and safe at work. 

Wearing socks with sandals has been seen as a major footwear faux pas and suddenly got trendy again this year – that means if you are wearing it right. Many of us still think that even ankle-length socks with sneakers or shorts are a no-go area and especially women renounce socks for aesthetic reasons. But is that really healthy and hygienic?

You should only be barefoot in closed shoes as a last resort. Socks keep our feet dry and support personal hygiene since they can be changed quickly when feet get smelly. It’s totally normal that feet are sweating. We have about 250.000 sweat glands at the soles of the feet, which can produce up to a quarter of a litre of perspiration per day on average! Footwear, genetic disposition, emotional stress, activities and temperature have influence on how strong personal foot perspiration might be.

Here are 7 clues on how to keep your feet fresh:

1. Washing your feet and drying them thoroughly afterwards belongs to daily hygiene; a sage bath helps in case of strong perspiration.
2. Wear breezy footwear in summer or walk barefoot as much as possible.
3. Make sure that your shoes are big enough; tight shoes will make you sweat more.
4. Use fresh cotton socks and avoid synthetic materials, which don’t absorb sweat very well.
5. Change shoes often and leave at least one day rest in between so that they can air and dry well.
6. Make sure to also remove insoles or orthopaedic inserts from the shoes and wash them every now and then so that foot odour will disappear. Let them dry for a few days before putting them back into the shoes.
7. Powder can help in case of strong perspiration.

If you still don’t like to wear socks in shoes try barefoot insoles or shoe liners, which you can change easily just after a few days. Absorbent and washable insoles made of terry cloth material are best. 

Another alternative are feet liners. Girls know these little socks already but there are also special models for men that can hardly be spotted when worn in shoes. But sock liners are not always ideal for ladies’ shoes and can get tiring having to adjust them all the time… Be vary of tights, they tend to be mostly uncomfortable, are not absorbent and often contain – such as insoles do – nanoparticles against unpleasant odour: chemicals whose long-term effects are still unknown.

Did you know that all our Suecos® models are named after Nordic Mythology? Find out what Nordic Mythology says about your favourite model. 

Suecos® cofounders Jonna and Andreas were inspired by their Viking roots not just when it came to choose the company’s logo but also when choosing their shoe model’s names. From Alva to Thor we try to always find a little bit of similarity between the particular clog and the actual corresponding character in Nordic mythology. Would you like to find out how your favourite model’s name is derived from Nordic Mythology?

All of what we relate to Nordic Mythology today has actually its origins in two transcriptions in old Icelandic language from between the 8th and 12th centuries: the EDDA. These poetic literature works tell fascinating Scandinavian sagas of gods and heroes, poetic and heroic legends and songs of uncompromisingly just Nordic Mythology. And really, to us EDDA describes the evolution of professional footwear best.

ODEN was inspired by the father of gods Odin, the head of the Norse gods, also known as „Wodan“ or „Wotan“ His all-embracing wisdom and infinite thirst for knowledge were his most forming and important characteristics.  Many saw in him the source of wisdom and a wanderer in search of truth and knowledge. As highest god of the Vikings he was also a dreaded and powerful god of war, honoured for his strength and skill. ODEN is our most versatile shoe with its non-slip rubber outer sole (SRA) and great shock absorbing properties. It is not just super comfortable to wear but also wise foresight for your health and safety at work.

THOR, son of Odin equals Hercules of the Roman gods and stands for strength, consistency and reliability. He was honest, uncomplicated and stood up bravely and intensely with passion for his goals. His most important characteristic was his enormous power as glorious hero and god of war. Seafaring people such as the Vikings worshiped THOR as god of the weather and thunder. THOR withstands heavy strain and comes with extreme slip resistant outer sole (suitable for soapy and oily kitchen floors, SRC) and reinforced upper material in the toe and heel area.

Thor and LOKI were unlike each other but also inseparable. LOKI resembles Greek Prometheus, his name is also associated with “luck”. He is the clever and smart god of fire, half god and half giant; a shape shifter. He supports others as a cunning and resourceful advisor and plays tricks... LOKI is colourful, cheeky and for the whole family. 

Loki adored FREYA in unrequited love, the goddess of beauty and love, joy and fertility. Comparable to Venus of the Roman gods or the Greek Aphrodite she is the most renowned of the Norse goddesses. FREYA weeps tears of gold. Our beautiful FREYA comes in gold, silver and white, for the extra feminine touch.

FRIDA means „my love“ in old Nordic language. The name can also be seen as a modification of Freya. We love our FRIDA: uncomplicated and feminine, now available in black!

Our flip-flop ALVA (Swedish: Älva, for elves), makes us think of elves: mythical creatures of nature who belong to Freya, the goddess of fertility. These luminous figures or nature spirits are said to be long living or immortal with magic powers and of great beauty who live closely with nature. Elves, no matter if men or women, are youthful with distinctive pointed ears and are known to be great magicians and archers. Follow the footsteps of an elf and enjoy young and beautiful design!

BO was inspired by Odin’s son Baldur, the most gentle and loved of all gods of Nordic mythology. Baldur comes from the Nordic word for "the luminous" or "the shining" and is god of pureness, truth, beauty and justice. Our BO has charisma and when worn simply is „très beau“!

SKOLL or Skalli, is described as a giant wolf in Scandinavian mythology, who is relentlessly following the goddess of the sun across the sky making the sun hurry. The origins of the name Skalli are related to “striker” in literature. SKOLL conquers the hearts of all those, who look for exceptional cost efficiency.

NORDIC derives from Njörd, the patron god of sailors and fishermen. He rules over the winds at sea, oceans and fire. As god of fruitfulness Njörd bestows harvest. He is a very friendly god who embodies the calm sea and good weather. Playful seals and swans are his favourite animals and are sacred to him. He is very wealthy and generously grants goods to his followers; therefore he is also regarded as "prince of the people". NORDIC stands for comfort in every situation.

ANDOR is short for Arn Thór and means “god “ in Nordic Mythology. ANDOR is our sleek and minimalistic response to work footwear. 

 By the way, the name Suecos® is a Spanish wordplay; it means "Swedes", but also "clogs" when spelled with a "z" instead of an "s"(zuecos). Since the company was founded by two Swedes in Spain, with the idea of improving and innovating the classical "swedish clog", we couldn't think of a more perfect name.