What do British call sneakers?

trainers Sneakers have so many different names. For example, in the United Kingdom, sneakers are known as trainers.

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Most of us wear them every single day. It is likely you have multiple pairs in different styles and colours too! But have you ever thought to yourself as you lace up your favourite pair: ‘why are sneakers called sneakers?’.

The Etymology of Sneakers

The term ‘sneakers’ has actually been a coined term since the 1880’s. The Boston Journal referred to sneakers as the word used at the time by boys to describe tennis shoes, noting how quiet the soles were on the surface. In comparison, hard leather shoes were quite noisy! Therefore, somebody could ‘sneak up’ on somebody else with these shoes, whereas someone in leather footwear would be heard and most likely spotted. It was then in 1917 that American advertising agent Henry Nelson McKinney utilized the term sneaker because of how well the rubber sole made the wear stealthy. You can explore the history of sneakers here, including their origin, founders, and how they boomed into mainstream culture.

What Other Names Do Sneakers Have?

Sneakers have so many different names. For example, in the United Kingdom, sneakers are known as trainers. But, it doesn’t stop there…

High-tops: Shoes that rise above the ankle.

Kicks: Sneakerhead term/slang influenced by hip-hop and skater fashion.

Lows: Low-top shoes that sit below the ankle.

Pumps: A special type of sneaker with pump function to boost fit.

Sneaks: Originally used by prison inmates to describe warders because of their rubber-soled footwear.

Tennis Shoes: Common term for this style of footwear.

Trainers: The UK equivalent of sneakers.

Introducing Giesswein Sneakers

At Giesswein, wool is our game. Our wool sneakers range covers everyday wear, running, as well as high performance sports. Whether you’re after fashion or activewear, our women’s sneaker and men’s sneaker collections have something to please all. Our 100% wool sneakers ensure your feet are warm in winter, and cool in summer thanks to the natural wool properties. Plus, our unique 3D stretch technology means we’ve crafted wool runners that work amazingly well as a running shoe, or as a day-to-day sneaker.

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What is the oldest soda in the world?

Schweppes started in 1783 According to Coca-Cola, which owns the distributing rights to Schweppes in much of Europe and Asia, he later moved its headquarters to England. At 239 years of age and counting, Schweppes is not only the oldest soda brand in existence but the first bottled soft drink, period (via RFDTV).

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The Oldest Soda Brand In The World

Soda is enjoyed worldwide, but nobody goes for it quite like North America. Mexico and the United States rank as the world's first and second largest consumers of soda, respectively, each putting down around 5,000 ounces of soft drinks per capita each year, more than twice as much as third place Brazil (via Statista). Even with Canada failing to make the top 10 (come on, guys, catch up), you'd imagine that soft drinks were born on this soda-crazed continent, but you'd actually be wrong. The origin of seltzer lies an ocean away. People first fell for fizz at European mineral baths, some of which had naturally sparkling water. One particularly popular example could be found in the German town of Selters, from which "seltzer" gets its name, per Atlas Obscura. These springs were so popular that, in the 1700s, people began experimenting with ways to manually carbonate water and increase its availability. There were some early successes by a pair of Englishmen, Joseph Priestley — who forced carbon dioxide-rich air into water by squeezing a pig's bladder, reportedly leaving a faint taste of urine in the drink (via The Atlantic) — and John Nooth, who developed a machine that resembled a primitive SodaStream (via ScienceDirect). Still, nobody had managed to make sparkling water affordable and easy to distribute. The world needed a hero, and as it so happened, he was waiting right where the seltzer craze began.