Going for a thong …

AUSTRALIANS have put their best feet forward to support the revolutionary Willi Footwear thongs developed on the Gold Coast.

Thongs with style – and a ‘no blowout’ guarantee – have won major support in a crowdfunding campaign that supported the development through to manufacturing last year. 

They have also become favourites with celebrity beach lovers including lifeguard Trent ‘Maxi’ Maxwell from Bondi Rescue and surf ironwoman champion Courtney Hancock. 

The thongs have also gained attention overseas, with Willi seeking distributors in the United States, Japan, Greece, Spain, Portugal, New Zealand, and South Africa

The chic and highly functional ‘flip flops’ – to foreigners – are now available in selected stores and online after the campaign surpassed the initial $30,000 target to reach nearly $40,000 in sales in less than two months, this allowed production to kick off.

Willi thongs feature boomerang-shaped plugs to minimise the chances of a ‘blowout’ – where the plug snaps off – and also come with interchangeable straps allowing the wearer to customise the base with different coloured straps.

Willi Footwear managing director and founder, Brad Munro, said savvy consumers demanded comfort and quality “but there is also an increasing demand for customisable products”.

“We live in an age where people want to be able to customise their look to suit any occasion and their mood, and this product allows them to change their straps in 30 seconds to match their clothes or accessories,” Mr Munro said.

“It’s affordable fashion that can be updated with minimal cost each season, and offers the wearer the ability to have a large colour range with only a few bases and straps.”

Mr Munro said his company was looking to set up a distribution point in the US to service international demand.

www.willi.com.au

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