Sutherlin, Margaret (November 19, 2015). "Converse Trademark Lawsuit: Skechers Declares Victory, Mixed Ruling Expected Overall". Footwear News . Retrieved February 11, 2016.

The original Converse Rubber Company soared beyond the scope of its 1908 designs until 1929 when it fell into bankruptcy. Control of the company then passed on to Mitchell B. Kaufman, who had been president of Hodgman Rubber Company since 1925. After Kaufman's untimely death a year later, his successor, Albert Wechsler, operated the company for the Kaufman estate until 1933, when a depressed economy and reduced profits prompted yet another change in command. Converse was also a sponsor of USA Basketball beginning with its inception in 1975. The Colorado Springs-based group was responsible for selecting national teams to represent the country in various international competitions and served as a class A member of the United States Olympic Committee. After 1977, Converse was contracted as the official shoe of USA Basketball, which agreed to 'use its best efforts to outfit players in Converse shoes,' according to Jeffrey Orridge, assistant executive director for corporate and legal affairs for the sports group, in a September 1992 article in The American Lawyer. That agreement later caused legal conflicts, as USA Basketball team members including Michael Jordan held contracts with competing shoe companies such as Nike. Requiring players to wear Converse shoes introduced ethical and legal problems that had to be carefully resolved.Converse Signs Mizuno, Zett and Moon-Star for Japanese Sales and Distribution,' Business Wire, January 26, 1984.

a b Grant, Tina (February 14, 2000). International Directory of Company Histories. Vol.31. Detroit, Michigan: St. James Press. ISBN 978-1-55862-390-3. OL 8607051M– via Funding Universe. In 2012, Converse was listed as a partner in the (RED) campaign, together with other brands such as Nike, Inc., Girl, and Bugaboo. The campaign's mission is to prevent the transmission of the HIV virus from mother to child by 2015 (the campaign's byline is "Fighting For An AIDS Free Generation"). [52] Converse lost its athletic shoe monopoly from the 1970s onward, as new competitors, including Puma, Adidas, and Nike, grew in popularity. A decade later, as Reebok introduced new designs and technology to the sports market, Converse was no longer the official shoe of the NBA. [17] Although canvas-rubber shoes regained popularity in the 1980s as casual footwear, Converse eventually became too dependent on the "All Stars" basketball brand, whose market collapsed by 1989–1990. By 2000, Converse was slipping repeatedly into receivership as debt piled up yearly. [18] RED)". (RED) Partners. (RED), a division of The ONE Campaign. 2012. Archived from the original on May 28, 2012 . Retrieved October 13, 2012.

Iconic Products

To ensure continued development of innovative and well-designed footwear, Converse invested in an advanced technologies lab staffed by a 70-member research and development team. Upon its completion in the early 1980s, it was one of only two in-house, biomechanical footwear labs in the country. The facility included work stations equipped with powerful computers, robots, and testing systems. Butler-Young, Sheena, "Iconix and Fila Settle in Converse Lawsuit Saga," Footwear News, April 9, 2015.

Rovell, Darren (April 5, 2011). "Dwyane Wade Gets His First Jordan Signature Shoe". CNBC . Retrieved October 19, 2018. Converse and Eltra Sued By U.S. on Goodrich Deal". The New York Times. July 4, 1972. ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved November 12, 2022. Converse Weapon: A Brief History of the Iconic Basketball Shoe". Highsnobiety. September 3, 2021 . Retrieved June 28, 2022. Ben Felderstein (October 24, 2019). "Kelly Oubre on Signing to Converse Basketball: "It Felt Like Home" ". complex . Retrieved November 22, 2021. a b Bertho, Michelle; Crawford, Beverly; Fogarty, Edward A. (September 30, 2008). The Impact of Globalization on the United States [3 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9780313083198.Reidy, Chris, 'A Shift in Fashion Gives Sneaker Sales the Slip,' Boston Globe, February 6, 1998, p. C1. Converse re-released "The Weapon" classic (which Kobe Bryant wore at least three times in 2002 and Andre Miller wore in 2002 from mid-August to early September) several times from 1999 to 2003 and after, "The Loaded Weapon" in 2003, "The Weapon 86" in 2008 (and the Poorman version in 2009, and the John Varvatos version in 2012), "The Weapon EVO" in 2009, and its successor "The Star Player EVO" (sometimes reduced to "The Star Plyr EVO" or "The Star Ply EVO") in 2010. [ citation needed] Palmer, Thomas, 'If Converse Can't Pay, Will Its Stars Leave?,' Boston Globe, March 9, 1991, p. 15. A special collection called "1Hund (RED)", whereby fifteen percent of the profits are used to support HIV/AIDS prevention, was released by the brand. One hundred artists from around the world were chosen to create designs for the collection as part of the (RED) campaign. Professional skateboarder Anthony Pappalardo released a (RED) edition of his high-selling signature skate shoe model in February 2010. [49] [50] Pappalardo explains: In addition to designing the most effective shoes possible, Converse enhanced its reputation by sponsoring major basketball organizations and events worldwide. Converse was the first company named the official shoe of the National Basketball Association. Valid from 1995, its contract granted the company permission to use the NBA name in all advertising and promotions and to manufacture shoes with logos of NBA teams or other affiliations. Converse also supplied merchandise to cheerleaders and ball retrievers throughout the league.

Blair Alley (December 2, 2009). "ANTHONY PAPPALARDO'S PROJECT RED CONS PRO MODEL". Transworld Skateboarding. Bonnier Corporation . Retrieved January 20, 2013. Converse Officially Opens World Headquarters in Boston and Debuts New Flagship Store". Converse Media. Archived from the original on June 11, 2016 . Retrieved February 15, 2016. Aaron Meza; crailtap (November 30, 2009). "Anthony Pappalardo and (RED)" (Video upload). YouTube. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021 . Retrieved January 20, 2013.Converse Announces New Global Headquarters in the City of Boston". January 8, 2013 . Retrieved May 10, 2018. Kareen Copeland (June 8, 2020). "Mystics' Natasha Cloud gets shoe deal from Converse, for her activism as much as her play". The Washington Post . Retrieved November 16, 2020. Converse initially produced winterized rubber-soled shoes and boots. During World War II, it shifted manufacturing to make footwear for the military. [4] Initially, it was one of the few producers of athletic shoes and dominated the U.S. market, but lost its position in the 1970s as competitors introduced their styles. Marchetti, Garrin (April 10, 2015). "Converse hangs it up in North Andover". Eagle Tribune . Retrieved January 31, 2021.