[30 August 2022] Global shoe brand Bata - renowned for their durable Toughees school shoe range – is excited to launch a new addition to their school’s range, Toughees Sneakers.

Combining the decades of research and development in producing South Africa’s most loved school shoe brand, the shoe manufacturer is expanding into the school athletics wear market – taking the brand from the classroom to the playground.

Managing Director at Bata South Africa, Michael Wyatt, said: “Toughees is the market leader school shoe in South Africa. The school athletics wear market gives us an opportunity to showcase something different and an opportunity to innovate outside of traditional parameters.” 

The Toughees Sneakers range is manufactured in line with the demanding use of school activities yet remains on trend.

“Toughees Sneakers are designed to be active for children, so firstly they have to be trendy from the start. Then over and above that they need to be lightweight and comfortable, also primarily meeting the demands from parents for quality and long-lasting wear. For this Back To School 22/23 collection we have taken a far more on-trend approach offering a new perspective on the traditional athletic school shoe with a chunky sole, velcro straps and mono colours. Inspiration was taken from global sneaker trend styling,” said Michael Sithambaram, Back to School brand manager at Bata South Africa. 

Sneakers are fast becoming a staple wardrobe item in the adult shoe category, providing people with the ability to invest in a pair that is suitable for both work and leisure, and fashionable yet durable, offering greater usage over a longer time period. Why should it be any different for kids?

“We understand that parents face many financial choices and investing in their children’s clothing and shoes is an important one. Buying items that offer multiple uses means that you can spend less but add more value. Our Toughees Sneakers range offers that just for children, allowing children to learn in comfort in the classroom, and play freely on the school grounds,” said Sithambaram.

The collection will be exclusively available on Toughees.co.za from September 2022 and will soon be available to other online marketplaces such as Zando.