At the origin of Aigles boots, a revolutionary invention

We can probably never say it enough: fashion is also a story of innovation. For the Aigle boot, it all began with the discovery of Charles Goodyear (1800 – 1860), an American chemist. It was he who, in 1840, invented vulcanization, a chemical process which consists of heating rubber (a gum derived from the sap of the rubber tree) with sulfur and other additives, which makes it harder, more elastic, resistant to wear and temperature variations, malleable, waterproof. This invention revolutionized the rubber industry and marked the beginning of its use for multiple applications: aeronautics, automobiles, sports equipment, manufacturing of clothing, shoes... including, of course, the production of rubber boots!

It was therefore following this discovery that Hiram Hutchinson (1808 – 1898), an American entrepreneur living in France, decided, in the midst of the industrial revolution, to found the brand “A l’Aigle”, in homage to the American eagle. , in 1853. He bought the vulcanization patent the same year, and the industrial adventure began with the establishment of a rubber boot production factory in Châlette-sur-Loing, near Montargis, in the Loiret.

Aigle, a territorial anchor and international reputation

In 1967, the production plant initially installed in Chalette-sur-Loing moved to Ingrandes, in Vienne. The “Bison” model is the first to be manufactured by the master bootmakers in this factory. This is far from being the brand's only emblematic model: for the Munich Olympic Games, Aigle created the "Regate", a famous blue boot with two white stripes.

Throughout its history, Aigle has managed to conquer a large audience and export its know-how outside France. The brand now has 370 stores in more than 20 countries.

Aigle boots Régate model @ Stiletto

How are Aigle boots made?

The manufacturing of Aigle boots combines the artisanal know-how of master bootmakers and modern technology. No less than 60 manufacturing steps are necessary. First, the natural rubber arrives in raw blocks and is mixed with materials and products, including clay and dyes. The mixture obtained is then kneaded and flattened between cylinders. This forms sheets of rubber, which are then cut and assembled manually on a metal base to create the shape of the boot. This is where the vulcanization process comes in: the bales are put on racks and placed in large ovens, then heated to homogenize the materials and parts between them. It is this step which gives them their waterproofness, their resistance, their flexibility. Finally, the boots are checked, packaged and delivered.

Aigle, a brand that reinvents itself season after season

In 2023, Aigle celebrated its 170th anniversary. How to reinvent yourself season after season? Since its establishment in Loiret, the brand has grown, developed and diversified. At the end of 2020, Aigle chose relocation and French manufacturing, participating in the reindustrialization of France. It also takes the turn of sustainable development, and becomes, in 2021, the first major fashion brand to become a mission-driven company, focusing in particular on eco-design. This translates into the use of recycled materials, the use of more eco-friendly natural rubber, the decarbonization of factories, the selection of suppliers more respectful of ecological standards, the establishment of collection points for used clothing for recycle them... actions which should enable it to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 46% by 2030. The brand has also developed its offer dedicated to second hand, allowing its customers to give a second lease of life to their boots by reselling them, or to acquire a pair already worn (this offer dedicated to second hand also concerns ready-to-wear).

Aigle is reinventing itself, and this also involves bringing these pairs of boots up to date iconic, through unprecedented collaborations with artists and cultural institutions, such as this famous eco-designed collection resulting from an unprecedented collaboration with the Center Pompidou, around the creative genius of Piet Mondrian, participating in making Aigle and its pairs of boots a little more iconic.

@ Boutique Center Pompidou