Can you identify these thrift-store foam/rubber sandals?

June 2, 2021 10:01 PM

My wife is constantly looking for something soft and simple to wear around our tiled house, and we picked up some $2 slides or sandals at the thrift store recently that absolutely hit the spot. (They're even her favorite shade of pink.) Can you identify them so I can buy a case full?

They're not branded at all, and the only thing on the bottom—"40-250"—is not helpful. (I think it might be size related? Not sure.) There's a little swoopy thing molded onto the inside of each strap, but I'm not sure whether it's a logo, a mistake, or a kind of skeuomorphic reference to a hole for a "lace" or something.

I've got pictures uploaded here on Imgur that show the details I mention as well as their distinctive pillow-top pattern. My guess is that it's a knockoff of some name-brand shoe, just because it looks familiar, but I don't know that for sure. They're even softer than Crocs, with a much flimsier-feeling, tacky/grippier material. "Matte" instead of "glossy," if that makes sense.

Thanks in advance!

posted by Polycarp to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (9 answers total)

The quilting says "knockoff Chanel" to me. Anyway, "quilted" is the keyword I'd use when searching for them.
posted by praemunire at 10:14 PM on June 2, 2021 [1 favorite]

I think they're shower shoes - example.
posted by Iris Gambol at 10:47 PM on June 2, 2021 [3 favorites]

Best answer: They look like the kind of thing you get on AliExpress, similar to these. In my experience, AliExpress sellers tend to make a particular design for a season, and then switch to a new one, so the odds of finding these as new are slim, I think. But for the price, it might be worth taking a punt on a pair of these, see how they go.
posted by essexjan at 10:49 PM on June 2, 2021 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I can’t identify them, but they look like the kind of injection-molded foam plastic sandals that are mass-produced super cheaply in bulk. (I had some like that for years and loved them.) I suspect you’ll be able to find something very similar on Wish or AliExpress using the right combination of search terms. I found these with the search “plastic sandals slides quilted” for example.

on preview, sniped by essexjan!
posted by mekily at 10:49 PM on June 2, 2021 [2 favorites]

250 is a Korean shoe size that is analogous to a European 40. I found many similar styles on YesStyle but they're not very good at labeling things as quilted.
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posted by acidic at 10:55 PM on June 2, 2021 [2 favorites]

Best answer: If they're softer than Crocs, another keyword to use in your search would be "EVA foam". The standard Crocs material is too rigid and hard for my taste, but I love my cheap AliExpress EVA crocs-knockoffs.
posted by gakiko at 12:28 AM on June 3, 2021 [1 favorite]

Best answer: If you have an Asian discount store nearby it's worth taking a look there (my local is called Super 99 Cent Century). Even some Asian grocery stores will sell versions of these. Here are some more AliExpress options. The killer search term for me is bathroom slippers
posted by mskyle at 4:55 AM on June 3, 2021 [3 favorites]

seconding mskyle
posted by wowenthusiast at 7:05 AM on June 3, 2021 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks everybody! This was solved in record time. My wife is excited to put a name to this foam and buy some samples.
posted by Polycarp at 2:06 PM on June 3, 2021 [1 favorite]