{{Short description|Shoe brand}} {{More citations needed|date=March 2015}} {{Infobox company | | name = Soap | logo = Soaplogo1.jpg | logo_size = 200px | type = [[Subsidiary]] of [[Heelys, Inc.|Heelys]] | foundation = [[Torrance, California]] (1997) | location = [[Carrollton, Texas]], U.S. | industry = Extreme Sports Equipment | products = Grinding shoes, Grindplates, [[clothing|apparel]] | revenue = undisclosed | num_employees = undisclosed }} '''Soap''' was a brand of athletic [[shoes]] designed specifically for [[Grind (skateboarding)|grinding]], similar in concept to [[aggressive inline skating]]. The shoes were introduced in 1996 by Chris Morris of Artemis Innovations Inc. under the brand name "Soap."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-25 |title=An Oral History of Soap Shoes, the Only Sneaker to Ever Come with a Warning Label |url=https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/soap-shoes-oral-history |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=MEL Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> They featured a [[plastic]] [[wikt:concave|concavity]] embedded in the sole, enabling the wearer to grind on surfaces such as [[handrail]]s, ledges, and pipes. The brand gained popularity through online communities and live demonstrations, and Soap shoes were featured in the ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' video game franchise.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}} The brand faced legal and financial difficulties and was sold multiple times, eventually acquired by Heeling Sports Limited (HSL), the company behind Heelys.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2002/10/21/daily37.html |title=Heeling Sports buys Soap shoe brand |date= |access-date=2021-12-08}}</ref>
==History== <!---♦♦♦ Please "No original research." on wiki, add relevant info back with citation. ♦♦♦---> Soap shoes were inspired by [[rollerblade]]s and aggressive skating. Chris Morris, a former [[RollerBlade|Rollerblade]] employee in [[Torrance, California|Torrance]], California, developed a shoe with a grind plate embedded in the sole for grinding.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-25 |title=An Oral History of Soap Shoes, the Only Sneaker to Ever Come with a Warning Label |url=https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/soap-shoes-oral-history |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=MEL Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> Morris enlisted the design firm Concept 21 to create a prototype, leading to the founding of Artemis Innovations, which sold Soap shoes for the first four years. In 2001, Morris lost control of the Soap license due to legal issues, and the remaining executives sold the brand.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}
Soap was then acquired by In-Stride, a company primarily known for wrestling gear. However, In-Stride filed for bankruptcy in late 2002, making Soap available for acquisition again. Later that year, Heeling Sports Limited, the manufacture of [[Heelys]], purchased Soap{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}.
"Soap" had a professional team, including former professional inline skaters such as [[Ryan Jaunzemis]], Brandon L. Blackburn, Danny Lynch, Paul Cifuentes, Eddie Ramirez, and Ben Kelly, who led research and wear-testing. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, regional crews from across the [[Americas]] and [[Europe]] shared online videos, supported by a dedicated online community of "Soapers." These crews and forums have since become inactive{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}. Derek Brooks, a former team captain, continues to promote Soap through the website ''SolidGrind.com.'' The Melbourne Soapers, led by Greg Crellin, also maintain a [[Facebook]] page dedicated to the brand. <!---♦♦♦ Removed section. Subjective and promotional without sourcing.♦♦♦--->
==Soap shoes in ''Sonic the Hedgehog''== {{Unreferenced section|date=May 2023}} In the 2001 video game ''[[Sonic Adventure 2]]'', developed by [[Sega Studio USA|Sonic Team USA]], Soap shoes were featured as an in-game accessory. Billboards, blimps, and benches in the game displayed Soap advertisements, and the character [[Sonic the Hedgehog (character)|Sonic]] wore a custom version of the Scorcher/Nitro model. Soap shoes reappeared in ''[[Sonic Forces]]'' <!---♦♦♦Specify year.♦♦♦---> as an unlockable accessory for the Avatar character in three colors, one matching the 'Sonic Adventure 2' design, and in ''[[Sonic Frontiers]]'' <!---♦♦♦Specify year.♦♦♦--->as a bonus DLC for newsletter subscribers, then later for all players.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}In the anime ''[[Sonic X]]'', Sonic wears Soap shoes in two episodes to gain an advantage in battles. The HD re-release of 'Sonic Adventure 2' retained in-game advertisements but removed the Soap-specific branding.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20010515193644/http://soapshoes.com/ Archived Official Website]
[[Category:Shoe companies of the United States]] [[Category:Sporting goods manufacturers of the United States]] [[Category:Clothing companies established in 1997]] [[Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2002]] [[Category:Athletic shoe brands]] [[Category:Companies based in Carrollton, Texas]] [[Category:Sonic the Hedgehog]]