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In 1850, Hiram Hutchinson, an American, meets Charles Goodyear who just invented the vulcanization process for rubber. Fascinated by this new discovery and the resulting material, Hutchinson buys the patent from Goodyear to manufacture footwear. Hutchinson establishes 'A l'Aigle' in France ('To the Eagle' to honor the bird that symbolizes America) and starts manufacturing rubber boots for farming activities. In 1853, 95% of the French population is still working on fields with wooden clogs as it had been for generations. The new Aigle boots became an immediate success as for the first time farmers were able to come back from work with their feet dry and mud free. Overtime, the company name will just become Aigle (pronounced 'Eh-gleu'), 'Eagle'. Aigle's creation date '1853' is present as a logo on many boots.
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