An Israeli Icon Continues to Break New Ground

How do Israelis recognize each other when travelling around the world? That's easy: Israelis from all walks of life will tell you that they identify compatriots according to their Source sandals. Israelis don't agree about much these days, so it's refreshing to come across something that brings together people from all sectors of Israeli society.

Indeed, Source sandals symbolize everything we love about the country: a spirit of entrepreneurship, an inspiring success story, a remarkable commitment to the community at large, a deep love of nature and the outdoors, and an appreciation for practical, comfortable style. Nost surprisingly, Source sandals were chosen as the "most Israeli product" in a survey conducted by the Ministry of Economy and Industry, and were even included in the Israeli Time Capsule that was launched in space in 2018.

It all started in the early 1980s when a young couple, Yoki Gill and Daniel Benoziliyo, took part in an Israeli ritual – the traditional post-army backpacking trip around the world. Frustrated that they couldn't find equipment that suited their needs, upon returning home they decided to design comfortable, durable sandals for nature hikes. The pair started out with a humble sewing machine in a small Tel Aviv apartment, and in 1989 they founded Source (Shoresh in Hebrew).

The unique rubber-soled sandals with the colorful cloth straps were an immediate hit and quickly became iconic. Incredibly comfortable, robust and light-weight, they were – and still are – snapped up by Israelis of all ages who love the fact that these sandals are perfectly adapted to their needs and taste as well as to the local climate and terrain.

Values from day one
The two founders, Gill and Benoziliyo, felt strongly about developing products that would last a long time and are made of high quality materials. Through the years, Source focused on advanced R&D that maximizes the sandals' functionality, simplicity and sustainability. So far, the company has registered a total of 25 international patents. Recently, it joined the exclusive club of companies with 3D trademarks, where a product's shape becomes closely associated with its manufacturer and provides unique identification.

From the beginning, Source's founders were determined that the company would be deeply rooted in Israel. Not only were their products designed to fit Israeli needs, preferences and climate, they insisted on manufacturing their products locally regardless of the costs. To this day, most Source products are produced in Israel and the sandals are still proudly hand-made at the company's original factory in Tirat Carmel, near Haifa.

"All our sandals are hand-made in our factory in Tirat Carmel. We feel deeply connected to Israel and to the local community. Our workers come from every sector of Israeli society and it's important for us to connect among the different sectors," notes Enosh Yehudai, CEO of Source, adding that most of the workers have been with the company for at least ten years, and some for around 30 years.

In addition to strong ties to Israel and its people, from its earliest days Source has also been deeply committed to 'green' values. "We want to connect people to nature and protect our environment. Source's founders promoted sustainability long before anyone even knew what that meant," explains Liron Cohen Aviv, Source's Marketing Manager.

With an eye towards preventing harm to nature, most of the raw materials used to produce the sandals have sustainable properties. Using an innovative technology, the soles of some of the styles are now made from 20% recycled materials, and the goal is to increase that amount even more. In addition, Source sandals have always been sold in innovative packaging: a distinctive, multi-use cloth pouch rather than a wasteful cardboard box. In fact, the pouches are so popular and useful that they are now sold separately.

The first energy independent factory
Source is one of the Israeli companies that is most deeply committed to reducing its carbon footprint and it is one of the few companies with a Sustainability Manager, whose role is to ensure that its operations are as green as possible. The company is very proud of the fact that its factory is the only manufacturing plant in Israel with complete energy independence. All of the facility's electricity needs are met through solar energy – a remarkable achievement.

"This was a huge project. We installed a solar farm on our roof with the support of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, in partnership with the Ministry of Energy and the Chief Scientist's Office," Yehudai elaborates. "There is a very large battery that stores all the electricity, and a complex system that manages all of this. We hired a company to support and maintain the system."

As a result of this feat, many other companies send their people to learn from Source about energy independence. "We encourage visitors to come see what we do here, how the Source factory works without using electricity from the Electric Company," says Cohen Aviv.

Last December, Yoki Gill, one of the company's two original founders and the current Chairman, was named Person of the Year in the Energy Sector during the Israel International Energy and Business Convention. He won the prestigious award for his important contribution to promoting innovation in the field of renewable energy and for his efforts to combat climate change, as well as for his vision which set new standards for Israeli industry.

Community involvement
Source's bylaws stipulate that 5% of its profits are donated to support the local community. Given the company's social orientation, it isn't surprising that the management convened immediately after the horrific events of October 7, 2023 to figure out the best way to help.

They decided to distribute sandals to people who had survived the attack and had been evacuated from their homes from one minute to the next without taking along any personal belongings. Source representatives drove around the country to the various locations where evacuees were being housed and handed out over 12,000 pairs of sandals to men, women and children.

Furthermore, last year the company made contributions to several projects involved with rehabilitating the Gaza Envelope region. Additional funds went towards supporting Kfar Sarah, a unique new healing center for soldiers and veterans suffering from PTSD.

Classic meets contemporary
Although Source sandals are known for their distinctive style, which hasn't changed significantly for decades, in recent years the company decided to expand its product line – adding contemporary lifestyle models to the more classic outdoorsy styles. "We developed new types of sandals. Although they are all suitable for outdoor hikes, some styles are more urban and can be worn for many different occasions, including in the office, on campus, walking the dog or sitting at a café," says Yehudai.

The new collection offers more choices of colors and patterns, and a variety of different soles, including the innovative 'barefoot' sole which is especially thin yet very comfortable. The Summer 2025 collection features the more casual Sahara, Sahara Hills and Nevada styles, and the minimalistic Solo collection with its fashionably thin straps and 'barefoot' soles – available for the first time also for children; as well as the timeless Classic shoe and the ergonomic Adventure line. Each style is available in many different patterns, both for adults and for children.

In addition to the sandals, Source also produces and sells a range of other outdoor gear specially designed for hikers and travelers. These include high-quality travel backpacks, cutting-edge hydration systems, reusable water bottles and other useful accessories.

Source sandals and other products are sold at retailers throughout Israel – including stores specializing in hiking and travel supplies as well as shoe stores and sports stores – and online. They are also sold around the world, with a substantial presence in Germany, other European countries, Asia and Australia.

For over 36 years, Source sandals have evoked memorable vacations and fun outings in parks and nature trails all over Israel and around the world – the types of holidays where pleasant memories are created. As Israel celebrates its 77th Independence Day amid turbulent times, we look forward to many more occasions to put on some comfortable Israeli sandals and have a fun day outside with family and friends.

For more information, go to source-israel.co.il

Partnered with Source