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SUBU

Basic information

Country
Japan
Founded
2016
Category
Footwear

Overview

SUBU is a footwear brand founded in Tokyo in 2016. Toshihiko Fukawa serves as director and designer, and the brand proposes “winter sandals” that can be worn barefoot in cold weather. Its main offerings are indoor-outdoor slipper sandals featuring padded uppers, brushed inner fabric, and four-layer insoles. Under the slogan “Winter Sandals No One Knows -UNEXPECTED WINTER SANDALS-,” it presents footwear as everyday items suited to life in winter.

Concept

With the belief that “time is richer when spent relaxing” as its identity, SUBU uses distinctive materials and proposes a comfortable lifestyle for people.

Tagline

Winter Sandals No One Knows -UNEXPECTED WINTER SANDALS-

Sub-brands

  • SUBU amp 2018

    A premium label launched by SUBU in 2018, this derivative line is centered on “premium basics,” elevating design, materials, and functionality. While retaining the comfort of the regular line as its core, it differentiates itself through more robust use of materials and structural design concepts, taking on a higher-end offering and an experimental role within SUBU. While NANNEN and VAMP expand functionality through applications and construction, amp broadens the lineup as a premium-specification option.

    An upper-tier label offering premium specifications

  • SUBU NANNEN 2021

    Within SUBU’s lineup, this outdoor-oriented derivative line is designed for use near fires, such as while camping, and uses flame-retardant CORDURA® material for the outer fabric. By adding a removable heel belt that secures the heel, it enhances hold and practicality outdoors while retaining the ease characteristic of SUBU’s “winter sandals.” Compared with the standard ORIGINALS line, it occupies a function-focused position clearly oriented toward outdoor use.

    Outdoor-focused specialization using flame-retardant material

  • SUBU RE:COLLECTION 2022

    Re: is a spin-off line developed by SUBU as a sustainable collection that “moves forward toward the future.” Its first model, announced in 2022, used 70% environmentally conscious materials. The line has continued to evolve, and it now explicitly states a policy of making more than 80% of its products from ethical materials. While maintaining the comfort of the standard “winter sandals,” it serves as an experimental framework for advancing material development and substitution, including recycled materials and paper materials (Re:paper). It branches off from amp and NANNEN with a distinct focus on materials and circularity.

    An experimental collection promoting circular materials.

  • SUBU VAMP 2025

    A derivative line positioned as an “evolved” version of SUBU, building on its signature comfort with a heel design that enhances stability and fit. Equipped with the newly developed HEXMAX INSOLE™, it moves beyond the conventional relaxed-use role of slipper sandals, supporting greater stability while walking and expanding the occasions for wear. While NANNEN enhances outdoor suitability through its materials, VAMP updates the structure and is positioned as the brand’s next-generation model.

    An evolved version with a heel and a new insole