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Why Does Everyone Wear Trainers?

A simple pair of shoes; trainers, sneakers whatever you call them. How did this footwear become ubiquitous across the globe? Join Mike Williams to find out why.

Sneaker, trainer call them what you will. How did this product of the industrial revolution and a rising middle class become a global fashion item worth tens of billions of dollars a year? Especially when 85% of the purchases are never intended for its original purpose, health and fitness. Join Mike Williams for the Why Factor on Sneakers.

Produced by Julie Ball

(Photo: A man looks at a collection of sneakers in the window of a shopping mall, in the outskirts of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Credit: Getty Images)

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12 minutes

Last on

Thu 12 Nov 201512:04GMT
BBC Radio 4

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Broadcasts

  • Fri 23 Oct 201518:32GMT
    BBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
  • Fri 23 Oct 201519:32GMT
    BBC World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
  • Fri 23 Oct 201523:32GMT
    BBC World Service
  • Sun 25 Oct 201520:32GMT
    BBC World Service West and Central Africa
  • Sun 25 Oct 201522:32GMT
    BBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
  • Mon 26 Oct 201502:32GMT
    BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean
  • Mon 26 Oct 201503:32GMT
    BBC World Service UK DAB/Freeview, Online, Europe and the Middle East & East Asia only
  • Mon 26 Oct 201504:32GMT
    BBC World Service South Asia
  • Mon 26 Oct 201505:32GMT
    BBC World Service Australasia
  • Mon 26 Oct 201507:32GMT
    BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East & East and Southern Africa only
  • Mon 26 Oct 201513:32GMT
    BBC World Service Online & UK DAB/Freeview only
  • Mon 26 Oct 201514:32GMT
    BBC World Service except Online, Americas and the Caribbean, Australasia & UK DAB/Freeview
  • Thu 12 Nov 201512:04GMT
    BBC Radio 4

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  • The Why Factor

    The extraordinary and hidden histories behind everyday objects and actions