La Marine
La Marine is a privately-held French footwear brand founded in 1999 in Rennes, designing and distributing handcrafted braided sandals, complementary shoes, and accessories through its e-commerce site and a multi-country authorized reseller network in Europe, with production in Thailand-based artisan workshops.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersRennes, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What La Marine does
La Marine is a privately-held French footwear brand headquartered in Rennes, Brittany, founded in 1999, that designs and distributes handcrafted braided sandals under the 'Les Marines' collection alongside complementary shoe and accessory lines. Its core product is water-resistant, hand-braided footwear that uses proprietary components including a patented adjustment system (Wave, Experte) and moulded Phylon (EVA) cushioning tuned by density — ultra-flexible (Shore C 25-30) for Wave and medium (Shore C 48-53) for Experte — together with brushed EVA soles for the Beach line and oiled, waterproof-treated leather for boat shoes. The product portfolio also includes leather sandals, comfort shoes, flip-flops, pumps, slippers, ankle boots, sneakers, plus braided belts and bags, and spans sub-brands String Tong (acquired 2014) and Eternidad. Production is carried out in co-managed artisan workshops in Thailand under an Ethical Code covering craftsmen welfare, while intellectual property is protected by original registered designs, a registered trademark, and the patented adjustment system, with active anti-counterfeiting enforcement.
The business operates a dual-channel go-to-market: an owned e-commerce storefront at sandales-lamarine.com (available in seven languages) that primarily clears end-of-line and discounted inventory, and a network of authorized La Marine retailers across France, Italy, Greece, Spain, and Belgium that holds exclusive rights to current-season collections. Distribution is supported by So Colissimo home delivery in mainland France and Mondial Relay pickup points in France, Spain, and Belgium. Pricing is unit-based, ranging from approximately €10 for braided belts up to roughly €83 for ankle boots, with core braided sandals priced between €17 and €38, and discounted items running roughly 30% off list. Customers are general male and female consumers seeking comfortable, durable, artisanal summer footwear with maritime-inspired design and ergonomic construction, with no enterprise or named-anchor accounts. The legal entity is a French LLC (SIRET 488 022 591 00017) with declared capital of €116,000 and no external institutional investment evidenced.
La Marine firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- La Marine
- Legal name
- LA MARINE
- Website
- https://sandales-lamarine.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- La Marine is a privately-held French footwear brand founded in 1999 in Rennes, designing and distributing handcrafted braided sandals, complementary shoes, and accessories through its e-commerce site and a multi-country authorized reseller network in Europe, with production in Thailand-based artisan workshops.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
La Marine industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Handcrafted Braided Sandals & Footwear
- NAICS
- Footwear Manufacturing (3162)
- SIC
- Footwear, (No Rubber) (3140)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Marine Apparel & Footwear Retail (Wetsuits, Rash Guards, Deck Shoes) (CRAMAIAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Water Sports & Marine Recreation Retail (Paddle/Surf/Dive/Boat Accessories) (CRAMABAI)
Keywords
Where La Marine is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rennes
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
La Marine business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Direct E-commerce Sales: Retail sales through owned online store (sandales-lamarine.com). Products sold directly to consumers at listed prices. Note: current season collections are not distributed through online shop except during specific collection launches.
- Wholesale to Resellers: Distribution through network of authorized La Marine retailers. Brand's latest creations exclusively available from this reseller network for current season collections.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Leather sandals (Les Cuirs) - Classic styles with raw leather straps |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Wave collection - Contemporary braided sandals with Phylon cushioning |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Beach collection - Relaxed colorful sandals with EVA soles |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Boat shoes - Leather shoes with waterproof treatment |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sneakers - Women's fashion sneakers |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Ankle boots - Women's boots |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Slippers - Indoor/outdoor slippers |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Belts - Braided leather belts |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bags - Various handbags and pochettes |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Flip-flops - Basic and trendy styles |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels4 records
La Marine product offering
Product offeringCore offering
La Marine designs, produces, and distributes handcrafted braided sandals and complementary footwear inspired by the maritime universe, built on handmade braiding techniques and water-resistant, ergonomic materials. The portfolio includes the flagship Les Marines collection (Classic, Sport, City, Antik, Beach, Experte, Wave), leather sandals (Les Cuirs), comfort shoes, flip-flops, boat shoes, sneakers, pumps, slippers, ankle boots, and accessories such as belts and bags, supplemented by the String Tong and Eternidad sub-brands.
Product overview
La Marine is a French footwear and accessories brand based in Rennes, Brittany, specializing in handcrafted braided sandals inspired by the maritime universe. The product portfolio centers on its core braided sandal collection 'Les Marines' with multiple lines: Wave (ultra-lightweight with Phylon technology), Experte (technical comfort for sensitive feet), Beach (relaxed summer style), Classic, Sport, City, and Antik. Additional offerings include leather sandals (Les Cuirs), comfort shoes (Les Conforts), flip-flops (Les Tongs), and a sub-brand String Tong (acquired in 2014). The shoes category features boat shoes, sneakers, pumps, slippers, and ankle boots. Accessories include braided belts and bags. All products emphasize artisanal craftsmanship, maritime-inspired design, and materials known for resistance, comfort, and ergonomics.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- String Tong: Chic and trendy fashion sandals with hand-cut, sewn and glued high-end finishing and certified nickel-free accessories; released in small series
- Eternidad
Products and services
- Les Marines (The Marines) braided sandals Flagship handcrafted braided sandal collection featuring water-resistant properties and a patented adjustment system, offered in multiple sub-lines for men and women.
- Wave collection sandals Contemporary braided sandal line with extremely lightweight, flexible materials, patented adjustment system, and Phylon shock absorber (ultra-flexible density, Shore C 25-30).
- Experte sandals Technical braided sandals for sensitive feet with water and sun resistance, innovative adjustment system, and anatomical medium-density Phylon cushioning (Shore C 48-53).
- Beach collection sandals Relaxed, colorful summer sandals with polyester-elastic braid upper on a brushed, shock-absorbing, light, flexible EVA sole; colors resist sea water and sunlight.
- Les Cuirs (The Leathers) sandals Classic leather sandals with an authentic, timeless style featuring leather straps in natural, raw colors and flat or wedge sole options.
- Les Conforts (The Comfort Shoes) Comfort-focused footwear collection spanning women's and men's lines, including cork-based and sport variants.
- Les Tongs (The Flip-Flops) Flip-flop collection available in various basic and trendy styles for men and women.
- Les Bateaux (Boat Shoes) Oiled leather boat shoes with waterproof treatment, sewn-and-glued construction, marketed for comfort, relaxation and refinement.
- Baskets (Sneakers) Sneaker collection for men and women featuring the TRENDY line and LA MARINE SOFT SHOE models.
- Les Ballerines (The Pumps) Extra-soft leather pumps hand-sewn on a light, flexible sole, designed for daily wear.
- Les Chaussons (The Slippers) Indoor slippers for women, men, and children with various sole options including rubber and leather soles.
- Bottines (Ankle Boots) Women's ankle boot collection including CANYON, DAKOTA, CHUKKA, and SNAKE models.
- String Tong sandals High-end sandal line featuring self-adjusting elastic laces that conform to foot movement, with each piece hand-cut, sewn and glued and certified nickel-free accessories, released in small series.
- Les Ceintures (Braided Belts) Braided leather belts with elegant, original designs in various colors and adaptable lengths.
- Les Sacs (Bags) Bag collection spanning Line City and Line Beach designs, with a Sacs Pochettes sub-category.
Quantifiable outcome
- Ultra-lightweight: 120 g per foot (Wave and Beach collections, size 38)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use La Marine
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
La Marine technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
La Marine partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- String TongcoreString Tong was acquired by La Marine in 2014. Founded in 2007 by Mr. Cédric Cador, String Tong offers a 'chic and trendy' sandal universe. The brand features high-end hand-finished products with certified nickel-free accessories. Both brands share common values around strong brand identity and alternative production methods. String Tong products are now produced in La Marine's Thai workshops under the same ethical production standards.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
La Marine competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Birkenstock: Global leader in contoured comfort sandals and footwear with patented footbed technology. Highly comparable to La Marine given shared emphasis on ergonomic design, anatomically-shaped cushioning (analogous to Phylon density tuning), and a comfort-first brand premium.
- Chaco: American sport sandal brand known for adjustable strap systems (LUVSEAT footbed) and durable outdoor construction. Directly comparable to La Marine's patented adjustment system and Phylon-based anatomical support.
- Reef: Beach and surf-lifestyle sandal and flip-flop brand. Directly comparable to La Marine's Beach collection, marine-inspired branding, and water-resistant casual footwear positioning.
- Teva: Iconic water-ready sport sandal brand with strong heritage in outdoor and marine recreation footwear. Comparable to La Marine's Wave and Beach collections in terms of water resistance, sport-sandal positioning, and outdoor lifestyle targeting.
- OluKai: Premium handcrafted sandals and footwear with island/maritime-inspired design and an emphasis on quality materials. Closely mirrors La Marine's artisanal positioning, lifestyle branding, and premium comfort pricing.
- Keen: Water-ready outdoor footwear brand with hybrid sandal/shoe offerings. Comparable to La Marine on water resistance, marine/outdoor use cases, and crossover from sandals to boat shoes and closed-toe footwear.
- Rainbow Sandals: Family-owned American maker of handcrafted leather sandals with single-strap and braided construction. Closest peer to La Marine in terms of artisanal production model, durability positioning, and small-batch craft identity.
- FitFlop: Comfort-focused sandal and footwear brand with biomechanically engineered midsoles. Comparable to La Marine's emphasis on Phylon cushioning technology, density variation by line, and ergonomic/durability messaging.
Broad incumbents
- Crocs: Global comfort footwear incumbent with proprietary Croslite foam technology. Comparable to La Marine on foam-cushioning innovation narrative and comfort-first consumer positioning, though Crocs operates at mass-market scale across a much broader product range.
- Havaianas: Global mass-market flip-flop leader with very wide distribution. Comparable as an adjacent player in the same marine/casual summer footwear category, but operating at vastly larger scale and price point.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
La Marine social profiles
Digital presenceLa Marine financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
La Marine leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
La Marine subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
La Marine funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
La Marine 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 La Marine
What does La Marine do?
La Marine designs, produces, and distributes handcrafted braided sandals and complementary footwear inspired by the maritime universe, built on handmade braiding techniques and water-resistant, ergonomic materials. The portfolio includes the flagship Les Marines collection (Classic, Sport, City, Antik, Beach, Experte, Wave), leather sandals (Les Cuirs), comfort shoes, flip-flops, boat shoes, sneakers, pumps, slippers, ankle boots, and accessories such as belts and bags, supplemented by the String Tong and Eternidad sub-brands.
Is La Marine a public or private company?
La Marine is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was La Marine founded?
La Marine was founded in 1999. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is La Marine based?
La Marine is headquartered in Rennes, France, in the Europe region.
How does La Marine make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Direct E-commerce Sales are the primary driver. The others are wholesale to Resellers.
Who are La Marine's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Birkenstock, Chaco, Reef, Teva, OluKai, Keen, Rainbow Sandals and FitFlop. Broad incumbents are Crocs and Havaianas.
Does La Marine have an API?
No public API is recorded for La Marine.
What industry is La Marine in?
La Marine's product category is Handcrafted Braided Sandals & Footwear. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMAIAJ, Marine Apparel & Footwear Retail (Wetsuits, Rash Guards, Deck Shoes), with a secondary code of CRAMABAI, Water Sports & Marine Recreation Retail (Paddle/Surf/Dive/Boat Accessories). Its NAICS code is 3162 and its SIC code is 3140.