Hickies
HICKIES designs and sells a patented thermoplastic elastomer no-tie shoelace system that converts lace-up sneakers into slip-ons, serving US and European consumers through DTC e-commerce, wholesale, and local retailer channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersBrooklyn, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Hickies does
HICKIES, operating through HIC Operating Company LLC and headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, designs and sells a proprietary thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) elastic lacing system that converts any lace-up sneaker into a slip-on. Founded in 2011, the company holds 5 US patents (two design and three utility, including US D686909, US D797548, US 7506420, US 8850675, and US 9820535) covering the elastic strap, lacing channel, and loop-over-clasp mechanism, with associated trademarks HICKIES and DOOHICKIES held by HIC IPCO LLC and actively enforced against counterfeiters globally.
The product range centers on HICKIES Originals at $17.99 per 14-strap pack (adults) and HICKIES Kids at $11.99 per 10-strap pack for ages 4-8, with premium extensions Metallics ($19.99), Crystals ($45.00), and DooHICKIES decorative charms ($5.99). Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer via hickies.com, supplemented by a wholesale portal and local retailer presence. The company operates a product-led growth motion with the Custom Fit Quiz and Bundle Builder as conversion tools, paired with celebrity-driven PR, a social and newsletter program, and discount tiers for students, military, and medical professionals.
Revenue is generated through one-time purchases with no subscription component, supported by free shipping over $50, a 30-day return policy, and a 6-month breakage warranty. The company has disclosed approximately $15.2 million in funding across rounds in 2014 (Collaborative Fund), 2015, 2016 (SFORZA-led $10M round with Endeavor Catalyst and memBrain), and 2018 (VAS Ventures). Headcount is in the 11–50 range and co-founder Mariquel Waingarten serves as co-founder & co-CEO.
Hickies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hickies
- Legal name
- HIC Operating Company LLC
- Website
- https://hickies.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- HICKIES designs and sells a patented thermoplastic elastomer no-tie shoelace system that converts lace-up sneakers into slip-ons, serving US and European consumers through DTC e-commerce, wholesale, and local retailer channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hickies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Footwear Accessories
- NAICS
- Footwear Manufacturing (3162)
- SIC
- Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Footwear Components & Materials (Uppers, Soles, Laces, Insoles) (CRAAACAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Elastic, Tapes & Webbing Manufacturing (Elastic Bands/Binding/Strapping/Webbing) (IMAOALAD)
Keywords
Where Hickies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brooklyn
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Hickies business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Direct Product Sales: One-time purchase of laces/straps, charms, and bundles through e-commerce website. Products include Originals, Metallics, Kids, and Crystal lines. No subscription or recurring revenue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | HICKIES Originals - Standard elastic laces |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | HICKIES Metallics - Premium metallic finish laces |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | HICKIES Kids - Smaller version for children ages 4-8 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | HICKIES with Crystals - Luxury line with crystal clasps |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | DooHICKIES Charms - Decorative accessories for Kids laces |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Student Discount |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Military Discount |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | US Medical Discount |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Hickies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hickies designs, manufactures, and sells a patented elastic no-tie shoelace system made from thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) straps that replace traditional laces, allowing wearers to slip shoes on and off without tying. The company sells multiple variants (Originals, Metallics, Kids, Crystal-embellished, and decorative DooHICKIES Charms) direct to consumers online and through wholesale to retailers.
Product overview
Hickies is a direct-to-consumer footwear accessory company that offers a modular elastic no-tie shoelace system as an alternative to traditional laces. The core product portfolio consists of HICKIES Originals (14-strap elastic laces for adults) and HICKIES Kids (10-strap smaller version for ages 4-8), which work as interchangeable strap systems that users install once and then slip shoes on/off without retying. Premium variants include HICKIES with Crystals (luxury crystal-adorned straps) and HICKIES Metallics (metallic-finish straps), while the DooHICKIES Charms accessory line attaches to Kids laces for decorative flair. Supporting services include a Custom Fit Quiz that teaches customers how to configure straps for regular, tight, or loose fits, and a Bundle Builder for mixing colors at discounted rates. The company sells directly through its e-commerce platform with free U.S. shipping on orders over $50.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- DooHICKIES: Charms accessory line for HICKIES Kids laces, featuring decorative horn designs made from silicone and nylon.
Products and services
- HICKIES Originals
Quantifiable outcome
- 14 straps per adult pack (sufficient for 1 pair of shoes, sometimes 2 pairs depending on sneaker design)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Hickies
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Hickies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature4 records
Hickies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Hickies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Kizik: Kizik builds hands-free slip-on shoes from the ground up, directly addressing the same "no-tie, slip-on" pain point as HICKIES. Competes for the same end benefit via a different distribution model (purpose-built shoes vs. retrofit laces).
- Zubits: Zubits sells magnetic shoe closures — a different mechanism (magnets) but the same end benefit (turn any shoe into a slip-on). Comparable category disruption narrative and target customer (kids, seniors, athletes).
Broad incumbents
- New Balance: New Balance sells athleisure sneakers where HICKIES is a popular retrofit accessory, and offers its own lines (e.g., fresh foam slip-ons) addressing the same hands-free wearer. Adjacent incumbent competitor.
- Skechers (Hands-Free Slip-Ins): Skechers' Hands-Free Slip-Ins line is a built-in hands-free footwear solution that competes with HICKIES for the same consumer benefit (slip-on convenience). Broad incumbent with massive distribution advantage.
- Nike GO FlyEase: Nike's GO FlyEase is a purpose-built hands-on hands-off sneaker addressing the same end-user need as HICKIES. Nike's brand power and innovation marketing pose a downstream threat to retrofit-lace positioning.
- APL (Athletic Propulsion Labs): APL is a premium athletic and lifestyle sneaker brand. Comparable on premium sneaker-adjacent positioning and celebrity/influencer marketing, though APL owns the full shoe rather than the accessory.
Direct peers
- Lock Laces: Lock Laces is the most well-known direct competitor in the no-tie elastic shoelace category, sold widely online and through retail. Comparable offering: 100% elastic lacing system that converts sneakers to slip-ons, sold in multi-strand packs.
- Xpand: Xpand is a direct elastic no-tie shoelace competitor targeting the same adult and youth sneaker replacement-strap use case. Overlaps HICKIES on product format, channel (DTC + Amazon), and customer demographic.
- Yankz: Yankz manufactures bungee-style elastic no-tie shoelaces widely sold in sporting goods retail and DTC. Same product category as HICKIES, similar target athlete/active-user persona.
Others
- Shoelace Express: Shoelace Express is a specialty retailer/wholesaler of replacement laces, aglets, and lace accessories. Functions as an adjacent channel rather than a head-to-head competitor, but represents the broader replacement-lace category HICKIES competes in.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hickies social profiles
Digital presenceHickies compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Hickies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hickies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Hickies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hickies M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hickies
What does Hickies do?
Hickies designs, manufactures, and sells a patented elastic no-tie shoelace system made from thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) straps that replace traditional laces, allowing wearers to slip shoes on and off without tying. The company sells multiple variants (Originals, Metallics, Kids, Crystal-embellished, and decorative DooHICKIES Charms) direct to consumers online and through wholesale to retailers.
Is Hickies a public or private company?
Hickies is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Hickies founded?
Hickies was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Hickies based?
Hickies is headquartered in Brooklyn, United States, in the North America region.
How does Hickies make money?
One revenue line is on record: direct Product Sales.
Who are Hickies's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Kizik and Zubits. Broad incumbents are New Balance, Skechers (Hands-Free Slip-Ins), Nike GO FlyEase and APL (Athletic Propulsion Labs). Direct peers are Lock Laces, Xpand and Yankz. Shoelace Express is listed as an others.
Does Hickies have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hickies.
What industry is Hickies in?
Hickies's product category is Footwear Accessories. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAACAK, Footwear Components & Materials (Uppers, Soles, Laces, Insoles), with a secondary code of IMAOALAD, Elastic, Tapes & Webbing Manufacturing (Elastic Bands/Binding/Strapping/Webbing). Its NAICS code is 3162 and its SIC code is 2300.