Chaco footwear began building and selling high quality Chaco sandals in the spring of 1989 in Paonia, a rural town of approximately 1,700 people. Chaco sandals are manufactured just far enough from the ski areas to escape the mayhem of over-development. Since the beginning, Chaco has grown to almost 100 employees and more than 1500 retail outlets, and Chaco sandals are considered to be the best on the market. Chaco sandals are sold primarily through specialty outdoor retailers-the type of stores that sell backpacks, sleeping bags, tents, hiking boots, cross country skis and kayaks. The growth and success of Chaco shoes is based on continually improving products and services.

Whether you're summiting in the Andes, shooting rapids on the Chattahoochee, hiking a well-worn path in the nearest open space park or lounging around the campfire, Chaco shoes has the right footwear for you. Aside from style, Chaco technology trumps the market in providing the ultimate level of comfort. The Chaco trademarked BioCentric comfort starts with a biomechanically correct contour that distinguishes Chaco shoes from all the rest, creating a level of foot health that has been awarded the Seal of Acceptance by the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA). More importantly, BioCentric comfort and support are qualities Chaco wearers experience with every stride. Understanding the elements of that stride, and addressing how best to support and optimize it continues to be at the core of Chaco footwear designs. Chaco BioCentric comfort ensures a supported, comfortable stride in any activity.

The Chaco footwear line has expanded to include 3 main categories. Chaco shoes provide an all terrain option for more rugged adventures. The wrap construction on Chaco shoes is a quick-dry, abrasion resistant solution to keep feet protected against the brutal elements of nature. Chaco sandles feature a continuous strap that passes through the footbed as it encircles your foot. For a comfortable fit, Chaco suggests that you maintain enough looseness in each webbing segment to insert one finger between the webbing and your foot, and two fingers between the buckle and your foot. This will allow a forgiving fit for your Chaco sandals while providing continuous arch support. Chaco flips are a modern version of the flip flop. Chaco flips are easy to slide on and provide serious arch support. The available colors of Chaco flips are endless. Well, maybe not endless but Chaco has pretty much covered all the majors as well as some more unique color variations.

To keep Chaco sandals clean and fresh Chaco recommends machine washing in a garment or mesh bag with detergent. Avoid bleach and allow to air dry. Once or twice a season wet your Chaco sandles and pull the Chaco straps back and forth to clean out any grit or sand that has accumulated in the strap channels.

Chaco understands that sooner or later all manufactured goods become garbage. Chaco would like to think that a Chaco sandal lasts forever, but it doesn’t. Until they do, Chaco sandals are manufactured with a focus on using durable materials and engineering them so they can be re-soled and re-webbed. That way, long before a pair of Chaco sandals becomes garbage, they've been around the block a time or two. The longer it takes a Chaco sandal to get to the landfill, the happier Chaco is and the healthier our world is. In 2005 Chaco launched a Recycled Shoe Program. Consumers were invited to trade in any old (but clean) pair of flips, sport sandals, shoes or boots for a 20% discount on a new pair of Chaco sandals. One hundred retailers participated in the two-week program. The program not only sent people out the door in a new pair of Chaco shoes, it also sent shoes that still had some miles left in them to those in need in other corners of the world.

While many businesses focus solely on profits, Chaco seeks to follow the three steppingstones to sustainability: profits, people and the planet. Chaco sandals strive to minimize environmental impact, better the lives of the people with whom Chaco works and maintain healthy profitability so Chaco can keep these Chaco initiatives moving forward. To further support the Chaco sustainability initiatives, Chaco sandles donates three percent of after-tax profits to organizations dedicated to caring for people and the planet. Chaco shoes currently supports the Conservation Alliance, the Sierra Club, American Whitewater, Leave No Trace, the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance and many others.

Everyone working on Chaco sandles needs to be flexible and willing to take up the slack when something needs to be done. Initiative, creative problem solving, the willingness to help out, a get-it-done attitude and a strong work ethic are very important to the success of Chaco sandals. Look before you leap, as expectations are very high at Chaco. Chaco is a meritocracy. This means that employees are rewarded with compensation and upward mobility based on their performance. Previous experience, educational degrees and prior work history are all of interest but do not affect career growth at Chaco. Skills, attitude and ability are the determining factors for a successful career at Chaco.