Their children didn't like their sweaty, cumbersome wellies but they needed something to keep their feet dry. So, what's a Mum to do eh? Invent a new type of shoe-boot for wearing in the rain, that's what! And then come up with a really catchy onomatopaeic name which describes them perfectly - SPLATS .

Not many people know that ‘Wellies’ – the time-honoured Wellington Boot – were invented 150 years ago for farmers, who spent most of their days stomping through farmyard muck day after day. Kids today, used to comfort-wear, describe them as heavy, stiff and sweaty and simply don't have the same enthusiasm for wellies as previous generations.

Something was needed that was not only more compatible with city life and the UK’s mild wet climate, but that also looked fashionable and was comfy to wear. Something which allows kids to run, climb, cycle and generally do what kids do, but without getting their feet wet.

Sweaty Wellies

An idea came during a recent wet summer when 2 London Mums and their kids were romping about through the parks and festivals with all their paraphernalia including scooters, footballs, picnics and of course those big, heavy, stiff, sweaty wellies. The kids actually preferred wet feet to wearing the wellies so something was clearly wrong!

Rainbow Hart and Amy Gowan experimented and took what they described as their prototype ‘Frankenstein Plimsoll’ to a shoe designer friend who then helped them come up with their innovative product.

After struggling for a long time to get funding from the banks, they finally decided to use their own assets and then imaginatively sold shares to friends and family in order to take their venture forward. Now sold in John Lewis, Russell & Bromley and other independent stores, Splats have sold thousands of pairs and expect their business to really grow, with their main market being Mums with young children.

Splats is a high tech functional footwear label with an urban twist that launched with their first product rainSplats. These ‘go to’ boots are waterproof, breathable and flexible allowing kids to run, jump, climb, cycle, scoot and best of all - splash!

Tried and tested on the liveliest, springiest urban ninjas in North London, the classic rainSplats have got the balance of fun and function just right. From the very first homemade prototype to the boots you see today, Splats was a truly home-grown project, drawing on the knowledge and experience of some amazing and talented people along the way.

rainSplats come in 5 vibrant colours (we like the Hot Pink and the Ocean Blue!) with high visibility reflective detail, low profile non-slip sole and a waterproof breathable membrane. So with the technical stuff out of the way all you need to know is that rainSplats are lightweight, neatly collapsible and easy to pack away for camping, festivals or days out!

For more information go to:
www.thesplats.com
Follow @TheSplats on Twitter
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