Jandals — National Footwear of New Zealand?

I wrote this in 2016 or 2017 during the two years I lived in New Zealand. Some details — prices, hours, what’s open — may have changed, but the experience and my love for this place haven’t.

Jandals are flip flops. They are the national footwear of New Zealand — considered Kiwiana, as essential to the culture as sheep and rugby and gumboots (which I wrote about in a separate post here). Second only to bare feet in popularity, you’ll see them pretty much everywhere — at the beach, in nice restaurants, on workmen, on grandmothers, on everyone. The rest of the world may think flip flops are casual attire but in New Zealand there is no boundary on when you can wear them.

The name jandal is short for Japanese sandal, which turns out to be correct — but also the subject of a genuine family feud that has been going on for decades. Businessman Morris Yock and his son Anthony began manufacturing rubber jandals in their garage in Auckland in 1957 and trademarked the name “Jandal.” However, the children of John Cowie — Yock’s friend — claim it was actually their father who invented both the footwear and the name back in the late 1940s, while he was working in Hong Kong. Both families agree the name combines “Japanese” and “sandal.” Neither family is backing down. The trademark is still held to this day, which is why the word “jandal” is rarely used outside New Zealand — most other countries call them flip flops or, in Australia, thongs.

One other fun fact: a 23-year study of Northland beaches found that 70% of washed-up jandals were left-footed — one theory being that right-footed Kiwi boaties tend to leave their left foot in the water while pushing off to launch their boats. Nobody really knows if that’s true but I choose to believe it.

It is winter here but my partner seems oblivious to that and can regularly be seen in shorts and jandals. He is not alone — we see it constantly when traveling the countryside. New Zealanders are pretty much the most laid back people I’ve ever met. In the cities there’s a sense of fashion and style, and of course some people care about that. But the vast majority of Kiwis are extremely relaxed about what they wear — whatever is comfortable, whether it matches or not, and whether you approve or not. It’s just whatever. I love that about this place.