How Tidal's Are Made

Tidal is flipping the script on the production of traditional footwear manufacturing, and we’re here for it.

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Posted on July 19 Going nowhere

Learning about the factory

Located in New Rochelle, just 30 minutes outside NYC, Tidal's factory is low-waste and 100% wind powered

Tidal has one-of-a-kind machines and patented processes custom made to bring our innovative flip flop design to life.

Tidal only makes flip flops—and they are the only place in the world that makes flip flops like this.

1. The Desma

Tidals are a platform to stand on. The sole is the basis on which both their product and brand are built.

The soles are produced on the Desma—a purpose built German shoe making machine, one of only a handful in the country, that works most-similarly to a waffle iron. Their renewable formulation comes out of a robotic fountainhead in the form of goo and is divided into one of 46 moulds.

There, it is cooked and expands into what is officially called a “blown foam”—a material that captures beads of air, a process which actually allows Tidal to posit that their soles are made from 60% air. The key here is achieving the perfect density, one that is soft enough for comfort, but also strong enough for support and durability.

Finding this balance requires constant attention. Like a baker must be aware of moisture and temperature, as well as the variation in their flour —so too Adam, factory manager and Desma operator, must take into account all kinds of variance in achieving the perfect density on any given day.

2. Trimming

After being pulled off the mould each pair is trimmed and inspected for quality. A deceptively simple process with an artisanal sense of precision. This part looks more like something you might find in a classical shoe factory. It is precise and fast.

3. Strap Making

Injection moulded straps are made in two machines—one for the left one for the right. This is important, because nearly all other flip flop brands make a strap that works for both left and right —which is cheaper, but much less comfortable and is ultimately a sacrifice Tidal isn't willing to make.

4. Washing

Soles are cleaned prior to printing and finishing to remove any factory gunk from the surface.

5. Printing

Using large format digital UV printers (a process they patented) Tidal is able to reduce waste and pollution caused by traditional screen printing. This method involves giant flatbed digital printers that can print 48 pairs at a time. This allows for incredibly quick turnaround on product and the flexibility to make smaller (and precise) production runs, which significantly decreases the risk of wasteful overproduction.

Tidal's colorant is listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.