KIWI
THE RISE OF KIWI SHOE POLISH
Kiwi Shoe Polish was developed out of a boot factory in Melbourne, Australia by William Ramsay and Hamilton McKellar. Introduced in 1906, Kiwi Shoe Polish exceeded and differed from prior products by preserving the shoe’s leather and leaving a long-lasting shine. The Kiwi name and logo came from Ramsay, as a tribute to his wife who was from New Zealand. With the new and improved formula and expanding internationally, Kiwi’s shoe polish became a very popular product, especially amongst British and American soldiers during World War l.
THE LEGACY LEFT BEHIND
Throughout the twentieth century, Kiwi thrived in many countries being the most dominant shoe polish brand selling in markets worldwide, and turning the Kiwi company into a shoe-care empire. Over the decades, Kiwi went through many owners ending up in the hands of S.C Johnson in 2011, and like other shoe polish companies, the Kiwi line declined steadily. Fashion trends and generations moved away from the formal footwear and leather shoes, lowering the demand of traditional shoe polish and moving onto the casual footwear we see and wear today. Although Kiwi couldn’t hang on, its history and iconic brand is still remembered for setting a standard, and revolutionizing the shoe-care industry for over a century.
