Thongs Australia: Unbreakable Aussie footwear, unbeatable Aussie comfort

There’s no better feeling than hitting the coast in the Australian summer! Heading down to the beach on a 28-degree day, a towel over your shoulder and an esky full of cool drinks. Holding a beach bag full of snacks in one hand and a portable radio in the other with an announcer reading out the scores to the Boxing Day test… “team Australia hits it for si...”. but wait. No. Ouch.

The feeling of stubbing your toe on the pavement; your thongs splitting in two. Not even a bread tie could fix that one. Then you feel your feet sizzling on pavement that’s hot enough to cook an egg. You still have 50 metres of hot coals sand to cross to get down to the water.

Thongs Australia was started in 2017 by three mates from Melbourne, Marc Lord, Scott Jungwirth and Andrew Kuypers with a clear vision between them - to improve the reliability and quality of the iconic Aussie thong; quite possibly one of Australia’s most cherished summer products.

Together they embarked on a journey to make footwear that is functional for the local market and stylish, but above all a product that helps prevent a scenario that every Aussie beach-goer has experienced before. The blow-out.

“The inspiration behind our brand was to produce a better quality and more durable pair of thongs made in Melbourne to Australia’s high manufacturing standards, which would last the test of time and survive many summers,” Thongs Australia, Director, Scott Jungwirth said.

Our thongs are not only made with premium quality materials but have been rigorously tested by our product development team. Despite twisting, pulling and bending the product by hand in almost every direction you can imagine… we are yet to see them buckle.”

“We’re so confident in the durability of our locally made Thongs that we even offer a 12-month warranty on every pair of Thongs Australia footwear.”

Image: Product testing the incredible strength of the Thongs Australia Thong


“Australian Made product is renowned for being made well… so the kangaroo logo helps shoppers identify to customers that Thongs Australia thongs are made locally to Australia’s high manufacturing standards.”

Australians and many customers all over the world trust the Australian Made logo. So, it was also important for us to embed this into our manufacturing and tooling from the outset because we were proud of what we have achieved locally.”

“The easy option with Thongs would have been to manufacture these abroad, but we have worked really hard to develop our own compound, tooling and manufacturing processes locally, so the Aussie Made logo represents a symbol of that hard work.”

For the boys at Thongs Australia, manufacturing a durable and tough Aussie product from premium materials doesn’t have to come at a price for the environment. A long-lasting product means that shoppers can enjoy footwear across many seasons, rather than disposing of a product when it starts to perish in three or six months’ time like some other lower quality alternatives.

Video: Thongs Australia Directors, Marc Lord and Andrew Kuypers share their Aussie manufacturing story


Thongs Australia also proudly sources natural rubber for its footwear. Natural rubber is a durable manufacturing material derived from the Amazonian rubber tree and contains the organic compound isoprene, which has naturally occurring elastic properties.

“We’ve found that with the growing consumer consciousness around the unsustainability of the fast fashion industry, a big focus for us has been making a quality product that’s going to last many summers. Versus a product that might last a few weeks,” said Thongs Australia Director, Andrew Kuypers.

Natural rubber off-cuts from the Thongs Australia production process are even recycled, melted down again and re-used to make natural rubber flooring for school playgrounds and recycled yoga mats.

Image: Relaxing by the pool in Australian crafted Thongs Australia thongs and towels

Not only are these durable Australian Made thongs made to last, but they are designed with both comfort and style in mind and are available in a range of earthy tones inspired by Australia’s most beautiful natural features and landscapes.

Otways Green (inspired by the colour of green gum leaves at Great Otway National Park in Victoria), Salt Lake Pink (inspired by the pink salt flats at Lake Bumbunga, South Australia), Desert Rock Red (inspired the rich rouge of Uluru, Central Australia), Lucky Bay Sand (inspired by the white sand beaches of the Whitsunday Islands, Queensland), Tasman Sea Blue (inspired by the deep blue oceans of Southern Australia) and of course Classic Black.

Image: The Thongs Australia colour palette, inspired by Australia’s picturesque natural landscapes


Thongs Australia’s locally made thongs have grown increasingly popular amongst consumers and high-profile media personalities since they were first designed and made. The thongs were even spotted in the inaugural Australian Made Week television commercial. 

Video: Australian Made Week Ambassador, Elyse Knowles carrying Thongs Australia thongs in the inaugural Australian Made Week TV commercial


The durable, sustainable Australian Made footwear even caught the attention of many of the country’s biggest fast-moving consumer goods and household name brands like Vegemite and Victoria Bitter whom commissioned custom made Thongs Australia thongs in their own brand colours, all manufactured locally in Australia.

“Since launching, we have been fortunate to collaborate with some amazing and iconic Australian brands including Victoria Bitter and Vegemite. We also have a number of exciting collabs in the works, which we look forward to sharing soon,” Thongs Australia, Director, Scott Jungwirth said.

“Another exciting addition is our ability to customise thongs for companies. We now have the ability to print a logo or message on thongs for as few as 50 pairs, which will open up some exciting opportunities going forward.”

Image: Victoria Bitter Thongs in green, white and red [Left] and VEGEMITE Thongs in black, yellow and red [Right]


Today in 2022 the boys are continuing to innovate and create, expanding their Australian Made offering with locally made towels, available in salt lake pink, with a number of new innovations to follow! Proudly continuing to manufacture in Essendon, Australia while supporting local jobs, industry and the economy in the process.

“There are so many reasons why we continue to manufacture our products here in Australia. Being able to manage our product supply chain is a huge benefit and specifically delivering our promise on quality to Australians.”

Being able to make quick updates to our product and also supply our customers in much quicker lead times is another important factor. Australians are patriotic and we are known for making good product, it certainly helps us build a loyal brand following.”

“We are also creating jobs for Australians and creating a brand Aussies we are proud of and that’s made to last and easy for our customers to enjoy.”

So, next time you’re making a bee-line for the surf, leaping around the pool, rushing to the coffee shop or sizzling snags at a backyard BBQ, avoid the blow-out. Grab yourself a pair of durable thongs made locally by the boys from Thongs Australia this Summer.

To buy durable Australian Made thongs in a range of sizes and colours visit the Thongs Australia website here.

To place a custom order for your brand, business or sporting club click here and enquire via email.