Clove

Before launching, the Clove team spent over 2,000 hours testing prototypes inside a real Philadelphia hospital. That's not a small detail, it means the shoe was shaped by actual feedback from people working real shifts, not just designed in an office and hoped for the best. The result checks every box healthcare work demands: certified slip resistance, materials that wipe clean after a spill, and a fit that holds up through a shift that can stretch well past 12 hours.

Started by a Husband Watching His Wife Wear Through Shoes Every Month

Clove was founded in 2018 by Joe Ammon after his wife, Tamara, a nurse at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia, kept wearing through expensive sneakers faster than seemed reasonable for the money. Nurses can log around 60,000 steps a week on shift, and when Ammon went looking for a shoe actually built around that kind of demand, he found nothing that fit the need, so Clove was built specifically to fill that gap. That direct connection to an actual nurse's real workday is why the current Clove lineup still gets tested in hospitals rather than just a design studio.

Fluid Resistant and Easy to Clean

Every pair uses a material called Clarino, a vegan leather that resists blood, saliva, and other bodily fluids nurses encounter constantly, and can be wiped down with the same sanitizing wipes used throughout a hospital. This matters more than it might sound, healthcare workers step in "something" nearly every day, and shoes that stain or soak through don't last.

No Laces to Deal With

Clove skips traditional laces in favor of a stretchy, no-tie lacing system, so you can slip the shoes on and off without bending down or fumbling after a long shift. It's a small design choice, but for anyone rushing between patients, it adds up, and it's one of the details reviewers consistently point to when comparing Clove against other nursing-shoe brands.

Comfort That's Actually Tested for Long Shifts

Each pair uses a three-layer cushioning system, from the insole down through the midsole, designed to reduce fatigue over a full shift rather than just feeling soft for the first hour. Styles like Prima and Strada carry this same support system, while the Superboot adds waterproof protection on top of it for anyone dealing with wet conditions as well as long hours. The Forte 2 rounds out the lineup with a similar cushioned, easy-clean build in a slightly different silhouette.

A Few Things Worth Knowing

• Slip-resistant soles certified to ASTM F3445 standards

• Clarino uppers wipe clean easily for daily sanitizing

• Clove was founded in 2018 by Joe Ammon and tested in a real Philadelphia hospital before launch

• Free 2-3 day priority shipping on full women's waterproof collection

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