Geox is an Italian brand of shoe and clothing manufactured with waterproof and/or breathable fabrics.

The company was founded in 1995 by Mario Polegato. The brand name, Geox, was created from a mixture of the Greek word “geo” (earth), and “x”, a lettering element symbolising technology.

Polegato was born in 1952 near Treviso. Originally groomed to take over the family wine-making business, company promotional material has it that the idea for the shoe came when he participated in a wine industry conference in Reno; while out jogging in Reno’s hot desert climate, his feet got hot from the exertion and he had the idea to cut a couple of holes in the soles of his shoes with a Swiss Army knife.

He developed the idea into a viable product with the help of a small leather-goods business his family-owned.

After unsuccessfully pitching his invention to several established footwear manufacturers, but after having passed the market testing phase for a line of children’s footwear, Polegato began large-scale production of shoes under the Geox brand name. That same year, he improved the original patent and extended the product range to men’s and women’s footwear.

Production sites are in China, Indonesia and Vietnam. In July 2021, Geox announced the closure of its Vranje plant in Serbia. The plant was opened in 2015. This closure will lead to the loss of 1,200 jobs