Kiwi Shoe Polish |
Kiwi Shoe Polish was invented by William Ramsay and Hamilton McKellan in a small factory in Melbourne in 1906.
The brand name Kiwi was named after the bird from New Zealand and the home country of his wife, Annie Elizabeth Meek Ramsay.
The brand has been owned by the Sara Lee Corporation and was sold in 2011 to SC Johnson. Kiwi remains the predominant shoe polish brand, sold in over 180 countries.
Ramsay and McKellan began making boot polish in 1904, developing their new formula and launching in 1906. Kiwi preserved shoe leather, made it shine, and restored colour. By the time Kiwi Dark Tan was released in 1908, it incorporated agents that added suppleness and water resistance. Australian-made boot polish was then considered the world's best. A range of colours became available, and exported to Britain, continental Europe, and New Zealand.
William Ramsay (inventor) is buried in Melbourne General Cemetery.
❊ Web Links ❊
➼ Kiwi Shoe Polish
➼ www.kiwishoeshine.com
➼ www.kiwicare.com
➼ William Ramsay | www.whitehat.com.au
➼ www.scjohnson.com
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