Croatia’s oldest shoe company celebrates 88th birthday

(Photo: Borovo)

12 June 2019 – Croatia’s oldest shoe manufacturer, Borovo from the eastern city of Vukovar, has celebrated their 88th birthday last week. 

Borovo, who is the most well-known shoe producer in Croatia, marked their 88th anniversary on 7 June and launched a new shoe on the occasion to raise awareness to prevent violence against women. 

The new Startas ‘Lily’ released on the 88th birthday occasion (Photo: Borovo)

Established on 7 June in 1931 in Vukovar, Borovo has built its identity over the past 85 years not only in Croatia but throughout the region through its range of modern, urban, sporting and certified safety and working footwear.

Borosana (Photo: Borovo)

There most popular brands are Startas, Boromina, Borosana, Rubber and My Ballerinas. Startas originated in 1976 and came back to life again in the last few years and even featured in Vogue and the New York Times. 

Borovo’s ‘Zenge’ yellow boots (Photo credit: Siniša Sunara)

“Today, its retro, natural-cotton-and-gum-rubber sneakers are still handcrafted in the same (albeit now bullet-scarred) factory. Colourfully adorned with emblems such as unicorns and licitar hearts, the Croatian folk design traditionally used to decorate holiday cookies, they’re both a playful reminder of sweet youth and a symbol of the city’s undying endeavor to bounce back,” The New York Times wrote. 

Startas (Photo: Borovo)

Borosana, the iconic footwear of the working class women, celebrated their 50th birthday last year. 

Borovo use natural, local materials for their shoes which are all produced at the Borovo factory in Vukovar and sell over a million pairs of shoes a year and have opened a number of new markets abroad. 

One of the world’s fastest growing online retailers, San Francisco-based ModCloth, started selling Borovo My Ballerinas.

My Ballerinas launch on MadCloth

Apart from the United States, Borovo shoes were available in Canada, Singapore and Australia. The shoes are produced in Vukovar using 100% Croatian products. 

Borovo today has 780 employees and 97 stores in Croatia.