Hi! I am Michael
Hello, I am Michael… another boring intro. Let’s not do that again. Let me share my vision. Back in 2020, I developed a strong passion for the outdoors, mainly traveling to soak in natural beauty. Hiking is one of my favorite activities as it gives me a sense of union with nature while I’m on the trail. Trust me; I am neither a professional hiker with heavy equipment nor a luxury traveler.
Currently learning more about traveling, natural places, camping, hiking, plants, and wildlife to become a better outdoor man (just 21 years old, though :)). Another interest developing within me is sustainable fashion – I don’t know why, but I naturally lean toward it. So join the community of those who love nature and prefer sustainability and receive exclusive news, expert articles, resources, and much more exclusive to the outdoors and sustainable fashion.
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Why Do Running Shoes Feature Extended Heels: An Investigation
Running shoes have become an essential part of a runner’s gear. They provide cushioning, support, and protection to the feet while running. One of the most noticeable features of a running shoe is the elevated heel. The elevated heel has become a standard feature in most running shoes, but have you ever wondered why?
The elevated heel can be seen throughout history dating back to the 10th century Persian and 3500 BC Egyptian life. The elevated heel was primarily used to make the shoe more comfortable for runners. The elevated heel provides extra cushioning and support to the heel, which helps absorb each stride’s impact. This reduces the stress on the feet, ankles, and knees, making it easier for runners to run longer distances without experiencing fatigue or pain.
The Purpose of Extended Heels in Running Shoes
Running shoes are designed to support and cushion the feet during running. One of the key features of running shoes is the extended heel, which is a raised portion of the sole at the back of the shoe. The extended heel has a specific purpose in running shoes, and this section will explore why running shoes have extended heels.
The extended heel in running shoes serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it helps to absorb shock when the foot strikes the ground. When a runner lands on their heel, the extended heel in the shoe acts as a cushion, reducing the impact of the foot hitting the ground. This helps to protect the feet and reduce the risk of injury.
Secondly, the extended heel provides support to the foot and ankle. It helps to stabilize the foot and prevent it from rolling inward or outward, which can cause discomfort and injury. The extended heel also provides additional support to the Achilles tendon, which is a common site of injury in runners.
Finally, the extended heel in running shoes can help to improve running form. It encourages runners to land on their midfoot or forefoot rather than their heel, a more efficient and natural running gait. This can help to reduce the risk of injury and improve running performance.
In summary, the extended heel in running shoes serves multiple purposes, including shock absorption, support, and improved running form. It is an essential feature of running shoes that helps to protect the feet and reduce the risk of injury during running.
The Benefits of Extended Heels in Running Shoes
Improved Shock Absorption
One of the primary benefits of extended heels in running shoes is improved shock absorption. When a runner’s foot strikes the ground, it creates a shockwave that travels through the body. This shockwave can cause discomfort and even injury if not properly absorbed. The extended heel in a running shoe provides additional cushioning to absorb this shockwave, reducing the impact on the body.
Studies have shown that the increased cushioning provided by extended heels can also help reduce the risk of stress fractures and other injuries caused by repetitive impact.
Increased Stability and Balance
Another benefit of extended heels in running shoes is increased stability and balance. The elevated heel provides a larger surface area for the foot to land on, which can help improve balance and prevent ankle sprains and other injuries.
Additionally, the extended heel can help prevent overpronation, which occurs when the foot rolls inward excessively during the running stride. This can lead to various injuries, including plantar fasciitis and shin splints. The added stability the extended heel provides can help prevent overpronation and reduce the risk of these injuries.
Reduced Risk of Injury
Overall, the benefits of extended heels in running shoes can help reduce the risk of injury for runners. The extended heel’s improved shock absorption and increased stability and balance can help prevent various injuries, including stress fractures, ankle sprains, and overpronation-related injuries.
However, it’s important to note that extended heels may not be appropriate for all runners. Some runners may prefer a more minimalist shoe, while others may require additional support and cushioning beyond what an extended heel can provide. Runners need to find a shoe that fits their individual needs and preferences.
The Science Behind Extended Heels in Running Shoes
Impact Forces and Pronation
When running, the foot strikes the ground with force up to three times the runner’s body weight. This force can cause injuries to the feet, ankles, knees, and hips. Extended heels in running shoes are designed to absorb some of this impact force and reduce the risk of injury. The raised heel also helps to prevent overpronation, which is when the foot rolls too far inward after striking the ground. Overpronation can cause stress on the ankle and knee joints, leading to injury. The raised heel helps to keep the foot in a more neutral position, reducing the risk of overpronation.
Biomechanics of the Foot and Ankle
The foot and ankle are complex structures that absorb shock and provide stability. When running, the foot and ankle go through a series of movements that help to absorb shock and propel the body forward. The extended heel in running shoes helps support the foot arch and provide stability to the ankle. This support helps to reduce stress on the foot and ankle, reducing the risk of injury.
The Role of Heel-to-Toe Drop
The heel-to-toe drop is the difference in height between the heel and the shoe’s forefoot. Running shoes with extended heels typically have a higher heel-to-toe drop than shoes with a flatter sole. The higher heel-to-toe drop can help shift the body’s weight forward, making it easier to land on the midfoot or forefoot when running. This can help to reduce the impact force on the foot and ankle, reducing the risk of injury. However, it’s important to note that a higher heel-to-toe drop is unsuitable for all runners and can cause problems for some.
Choosing the Right Running Shoe for You
Considerations for Foot Type and Gait
When selecting a running shoe, it is essential to consider your foot type and gait. The wear on your current running shoes can help determine your foot type. If the inner soles of your shoes are usually worn down, you are an overpronator and probably have a low arch. If the outer soles of your shoes are usually worn down, you are an under pronator and probably have a high arch. If your shoe shows even wear, you have a neutral arch and are a normal pronator.
It is also essential to consider your gait when selecting a running shoe. Most runners can choose a neutral shoe, but if your foot tends to roll to the far outside or inside, some shoes can help you. For example, if you are an overpronator, you may want to look for a shoe with motion control or stability features to help correct your gait. If you are an under pronator, you may want to look for a shoe with extra cushioning to help absorb shock.
Factors to Consider When Selecting a Running Shoe
When selecting a running shoe, there are several factors to consider:
- Fit: Your shoe should fit well from the start with no breaking-in period. Ensure you have enough toe room (about a thumbs width space between the end of your longest toe and the end of the shoe) and that the shoe feels snug but not tight.
- Comfort: Look for a shoe with good cushioning and support. The right cushioning will help absorb shock and reduce the risk of injury.
- Weight: Look for a shoe that is lightweight and flexible. A lighter shoe can help improve your speed and reduce long-run fatigue.
- Style: While it’s essential to focus on fit, feel, and function over fashion, there are still plenty of stylish running shoes available that meet all of your performance needs. Some runners even consider the color of the shoe to be an essential factor.
By considering your foot type, gait, and the above factors, you can choose the right running shoe and reduce your risk of injury while improving your performance.
Why Do Running Shoes Feature Extended Heels: An Investigation
Where Are Clarks Shoes Made in 2023? (Here’s Proof)
Throw long intros in the dustbin! You know about Clarks shoes if you’re reading this, so I won’t babble about it. Our motive here is to uncover where Clarks’ shoes are made because it is essential to know about their quality assurance, ethical consideration, economic impact, and safety concerns.
Where Are Clarks Footwear Manufactured?
Most of Clarks’ production occurs in Asia, with only a tiny percentage in Europe and Central America. In fact, for Spring and Summer 2022, approximately 80% of their footwear products were sourced from directly managed suppliers, with the remainder sourced through specialist agents. And in most of these factories, the facilities are shared with production for other brands and customers.
So, which countries specifically are responsible for making your favorite Clarks shoes? Let’s break it down by percentage. In Spring Summer 2022, 26.7% of Clark’s shoe production came from China, 23.0% from Cambodia, 17.8% from India, 14.6% from Vietnam, 6.3% from Mexico, 4.7% from Bangladesh, 2.9% from Indonesia, 2.2% from Albania, and 1.7% from Portugal. And rounding out the list is Romania, bringing up the rear with a whopping 0.1%. China is not only go to manufacturing country for Clarks but also Ryka, Nobull, and hiking shoes, Saucony.
Now, you might be wondering why Clarks chooses to manufacture their shoes in these particular countries. One reason is that these countries have lower labor costs than many Western countries, which allows Clarks to keep their prices affordable for consumers. Many of these countries have well-established footwear manufacturing industries, meaning they have the expertise and infrastructure to produce high-quality shoes at scale.
Short History Of Clarks:
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, two lads named Cyrus and James Clark decided to take some sheepskin off-cuts and make a slipper. Little did they know that their invention would begin a shoe empire spanning almost two centuries.
From the get-go, the Clarks clan has always been a little different. They’re the kind of people who think outside the shoebox and do things their way. They created the world’s first foot-shaped shoe, a kids’ range with full sizes, half sizes, widths, and even an iPad foot gauge. They’re pioneers, innovators, and shoe experts all rolled into one.
And it’s not just their ideas that make them stand out. Clarks has studied the human foot from cradle to old age, scrutinized its biomechanics, and delved into what it takes to keep those tootsies healthy and happy. All that research goes into making the perfect pair of shoes for you.
But it’s not just all science and seriousness over at Clarks. They’ve got a pretty impressive shoe archive that has defined generations, sparked revolutions, and captured imaginations. Might you have heard of the iconic Clarks Desert Boot? It was designed by Nathan Clark in 1950 and is still cool today.
So there you have it, folks. The story of Clarks’ footwear. From sheepskin slippers to biomechanics, from foot-shaped shoes to Desert Boots, Clarks has been at the forefront of shoe innovation for almost two centuries.
This article only covers where Clark’s shoes are made and not about their sustainable and ethical approach. Manufacturing is just an aspect of knowing the brand’s sustainability; other vital factors are environmental impact, materials used, and working conditions. So I will create a separate article where we will direct the sustainability of Clarks. In the meantime, you can see the 69 most sustainable fashion brands from the USA if that’s what you want.
What Countries Manufactures Bzees Shoes?
Bzees shoes are known to provide lightweight shoes that provide liberating comfort and the freedom to throw them in your washing machine and then simply air dry to get the new and refreshing feeling once again. So, it is a good brand but we are all curious to know in which countries they are made. let’s find out.
What Did I Find About Bzees Shoe Manufacturing?
To know where Bzees’ shoes are coming from, we need to know who overlooks the manufacturing of Bzees. A company named Naturalizer started in 2013 to provide a collection of shoes that weighs less than 6 pounds. Though, both Naturalizer and Bzees are owned by Brown Shoe Company, Inc which now know as Caleres. We need to contact them to know where are Bzees shoes manufactured. Let’s do that.
According to Caleres, all their 15+ brands come from the same pool of sustainable suppliers and manufactures, and Bzees is no exception. As per Caleres 2021 and ESG partners report, all Bzees shoes, along with its other brands, are primarily made in China, then India, Vietnam, Italy, and the Dominican Republic. The company also manufactures in the United States, but that is not for Bzees its more premium brands like Allen Edmonds.
If we see the previous year data than in 2021, then majority all Clares brands (including Bzees) footwear are manufactured by approximately 66 manufacturers operating about 120 facilities..
Related: Where Are Saucony Shoes Made?
What about retail operations of the company? Unfortuanately bzees shoes sells only in United States via retail and e-commerce medium. However sites like Amazon.com offers international shipping for many Bzees styles which you could use, though first ensure that you that there’s some kind of support offered by brand in your country otherwise you may need to face some difficulty in case you want to return the product.
Where Are Ryka Shoes Made? (With Shoe Tags)
Sheri Poe found Ryka in 1987, with a single intention – to make shoes only for women. Sheri Poe believes Ryka offers shoes for women’s unique foot shape, build, and muscle movement. It is based on the fact that many brands make shoes for all genders, but if we look closely, no brand gives absolute attention to shoes based on a particular gender’s body type and leg movement. In that regard, Ryka was the first brand that started and continues to run as a woman-specific footwear brand.
Let’s see where your feminine Ryka shoe is coming from.
Ryka Shoes: Manufacturing Locations Revealed
After looking at over 20 random Ryka shoe, all says ‘Made In China.’. Tried to come across at least one U.S made Ryka shoe but unfortunately, I didn’t come across any. As you can see in the following images that all popular styles like Sky Walking, Devotion Plus 2, and Devotion XT all are manufactured in China.
Although the headquarters are located in Irvine, California, so essentially it is a U.S. brand, but what does it matter if we can’t buy any USA-made shoe? Here I could be wrong because Ryka has not published any transparency report about its supply chain, but Ryka officially confirms that they make shoes in various parts of Asia, mostly in China, and stores in their warehouses in the U.S.
Related: Where Are Kizik Shoes Made?
Countries Where Ryka Shoes Sells
Right now, Ryka shoes selling only for American women, yes you can get them shipped to other countries via Amazon international shipping but when it will come to services like a return or refund, you may need to face difficulties and unwanted delays which is not at all worth it in my opinion.
So if you’re living outside the U.S. then by all means I wish that Ryka starts to expand its market and make its shoes available for women all around the world.
Saucony Shoes: Where Are They Made? (With Shoe Tags)
It is nearly impossible that a runner and a hiker have not heard about the Saucony brand in their entire life because the brand is standing strong in the market for over 124 years – way before our grandparents were born. And why not? Saucony offers shoes in 5 distinct categories – Competition, Road, Trail, Train, and Walking. Apart from shoes, the brand sells performance running and lifestyle apparel. But today we will only focus on where Saucony shoes and other footwear are made.
So let’s see where your best and worst pair of Saucony is coming from.
Saucony Shoes Manufacturing: Countries Revealed!
According to the data published in Saucony (WWW) Global Impact Report, 2021. All Saucony shoes/footwear are made in the United States Of America, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Argentina, Turkey, Pakistan, India, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Burma, and the Philippines.
However, Vietnam accounts for 31-40% and China holds 21-20% off Saucony footwear production. All other countries mentioned takes 1-20% of manufacturing inclusively (Cambodia, Indonesia, and Bangladesh take the most). It may also surprise you that Saucony’s owner only has 33 core manufacturing partners who manufacture the majority of the company’s shoes.
As a U.S. citizen, you may find it startling to see that there are more Saucony shoes made in China and Vietnam than in the USA. Even, after looking at tons of shoes of this brand, I did not find any Made In USA shoes but many Vietnamese and Chinese-made Saucony shoes as you can see in the above images.
But that does not mean there are no American-made Saucony shoes. You’ll find some; because the company’s supply chain data suggest that they do have at least 1% of manufacturing in the USA. The reason why Asian countries take the most share in shoe manufacturing is because of the production cost, the market needs, and corporate and geographical benefits.
I am seeing a great percentage of rise in the Vietnam shoe industry because while writing articles on Hoka, Brooks, ASICS, ON, and Hey Dude, I found that Vietnam is one of the major footwear producers for these brands. Not Joking! Just read those articles and I have all the proof for them.
Like APAC and EMEA will see more Asian-made Saucony shoes than USA or Mexican-made because the economy is not as strong as the USA in many of the countries of these regions. Cheap labor and less transporting costs (to transport in nearby countries), etc make it an economical choice.
That does not mean every piece of the manufacturing puzzle happens only in these countries because the final draft of the Conflict Minerals Policy published in April 2014 says “Wolverine (Saucony Owner) and its third-party suppliers purchase raw materials and parts from a variety of sources”. This means that the raw materials and other components required for manufacturing Saucony shoes may be coming from other countries that are not listed or through the inter-country supply chain. To say, the insole/outsole is manufactured in Country A and then assembly of it may happen in ‘B’ Country.
How Saucony Chooses Suppliers For Its Shoes?
As we all know that Saucony is a part of the Wolverine Worldwide brands, so it needs to follow the Code of Conduct provided by the company itself. If we put the words of WWW, then they say that For any brand, including Saucony, Wolverine considers many factors in finalizing a factory to work with production which includes reputation, manufacturing capabilities, location, human rights, geopolitical, and infrastructures, and it must comply with their code of conduct.
As their policy, they hold zero tolerance for forced labor, human trafficking, slavery, or involuntary work of any kind. The Conflict Mineral Policy, which Wolverine itself follows, asks its suppliers to not involve in the purchase or use of conflict minerals. The company follows the processes indicated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas (the “OECD Guidance”).
Who Owns Saucony? (Short History)
Currently, Saucony is owned by Wolverine Worldwide since 2012 and falls under the Wolverine Boston Segment. A noteworthy thing is before WWW, the brand was owned by Collective Brands (2007-2012) and Stride Rite (2005-2007). This does not mean that Saucony exists only since 2005. History tells us Saucony is in the footwear market for over 124 years, creating shoes for both casual and avid outdoors and athletes. 4 business people in 1898 started the brand in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. However, the headquarter is now located in Lexington, Massachusetts. So yes, it is certain that the brand originated from the U.S. and still can be called a U.S. brand.
The greatest hits of Saucony lists Jazz (1981), Shadow (1985), Azura (1988), Grid (2000), Kilkenny XC Spike (2003), Kinvara (2009), Peregrine (2011), Guide (2011), Fastwitch (2015), Triumph Iso 2 (2015), and Endorphin Pro (2020).
Countries Where Saucony Do Business
As of December 2022, you can go to Saucony.com and get your product shipped to over 32 countries (33 to be exact). Apart from an e-commerce site, Saucony shoes are sold by many authorized sports retailers and company-owned Saucony retail stores across the united states and several other countries. Here’s the complete list of countries where Saucony shoes are sold.
Where Are Nobull Shoes Made? (With Photos!)
In the Crossfit market, there are many players. We have Nike, Reebok, and Under Armour. Among these, many cross-trainers still prefer Nobull because of its functionality, durability, and the flat & rigid sole needed for heavy lifts. When a brand is carrying so much responsibility on its shoulders, it can’t choose roadside manufacturers. Let’s see where your Nobulls are coming from in this brief article.
Let’s See Where Nobull Shoes Are Manufactured:
After researching for hours, I found that all Nobull shoes are designed in the USA but manufactured in China. What about Vietnam, Indonesia, etc.? Unfortunately, I found no trace of Nobull shoes (I researched for shoes only, so I can’t talk about their other products) being made in any country other than China. I was also surprised initially because after writing a dozen articles on shoes, every brand, like Keen, Under Armour, Merrell, and Asics, manufactures shoes in multiple countries. One great example is Clarks, making shoes in more than eight countries.
You can also check where your Nobull shoe is made by looking at the black label stuck on the shoe box as shown in images – you’ll get to know where your shoe is designed and made, along with other details like sizing and collection name.
Do you have the supplier’s name for Nobull’s Shoes? Otabo, the manufacturer, is producing Nobulls, that’s certain. If you believe in my research, you should know that Otabo’s manufacturing facility is located in Guangzhou, China (northwest of Hong Kong on the Pearl River). If we check the custom records of Otabo with Nobull, then Otabo has successfully shipped shoes to Nobull two times in the year 2021-2022: 2022-03-08 (March 2022) and 2021-10-31 (October. 2021).
If we try to dissect a little more in those two shipments, then in the year 2022, Otabo sent a shoe shipment weighing 1380kg to Nobull.
Are Nobull Shoes Made in the USA? (Designed vs Made in)
Nobull’s headquarter is located in Boston, Massachusetts, so we are clear that it is an American company. But no shoes are made in the United States, albeit designed here. What does this mean? Brands use ‘Designed in the USA’ to play with Customer’s psychology. When we look at a shoe that says it is designed in the USA, most of us will fall for it. However, this does not imply that your Nobull shoe is made in the USA. It simply means that Nobull has an office in the USA, where the product design comes from.
For a product to label as ‘Made in USA’, it needs to comply with the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Made in USA policy and to do that, the product must be ‘all or virtually all’ manufactured in the USA. It means that all necessary equipment/parts and processing that goes into manufacturing shoes must be from U.S. Nonetheless, they should also do the final assembly of the product in the U.S.
Where Do Nobull Shoes Sell?
One thing I like while shopping at Nobulls is that I can order and get them shipped to most countries worldwide. If you’re living outside the U.S. then you can select the shipping country and provide your address before selecting a payment mode.
However, depending on countries, it can cost you extra to get it in your home, and may need to wait for weeks, so keep that in mind. Also, you may face difficulties to return the product, in case you don’t like it or worst you’re stuck with it. So, please, make your buying decision wisely.
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“We have something for everyone & expanding in a categorized manner. Share want you to want to see next on michael@outdoorfavor.com, and I’ll make sure it ends up in one of these sections”
Keen Shoes – Where Are They Made? (With Pictures)
While researching Keen shoe manufacturing, I stumbled on what they did in their starting days that stole my heart. The Tsunami struck the communities in the Indian Ocean in 2004. KEEN was about to spend $1 million in advertising their shoes, but after knowing this devastating news, they spend the same amount on Tsunami relief. Just reading these lines, I am even more inspired to know where keen shoes are made, along with how involved they are with the manufacturing process.
Let’s start this journey together!
Where Are Keen Shoes Manufactured?
Keen shoes are made in 7 different countries: USA, Thailand, Mexico, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, and Europe. About 31% of KEEN shoes and other footwear are made in the company’s 4 owned factories located in Portland (USA), Chon Buri (Thailand), Phimai (Thailand), and Santiago (Dominican Republic). The remaining footwear manufacturing, which is about 60-70% happens in 21 contract factories located in 7 mentioned countries.
They scrupulously chose these factories to meet the KEEN goal of PFAS-free shoes/footwear. It may surprise you that to make sure the PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) chemicals don’t end up in their shoes, KEEN hired a full-time restricted substance expert who can be on factories ground to make sure these harmful chemicals are not ending up in shoes due to the manufacturing process. It took 4 years or 10,000 hours to be precise for the company to remove PFAS from its supply chain. Now we can say that all 25 factories (owned + contract) are working in line with the sustainable approach of the KEEN. According to the KEEN Impact report, the brand is successfully selling 98+% PFAS-free shoes since 2018.
Related: Where Are Olukai Shoes Made?
How Was Keen Footwear Founded?
Martin Keen and Rory Fuerst founded KEEN back in 2003. Not to say that the idea of starting KEEN first arrived in the mind of Martin Keen in 1999 with one question in mind – can a sandal protect toes? The solution to this problem is responsible for the value Keen continues to offer. In 2003, this idea stepped into the production of shoes by making a sandal/shoe hybrid by having the protective black-toe bumper while keeping the aesthetics of sandals in mind.
Later on, this private company diversified into new styles of casual and cold weather footwear, clothing, and bags with pairs meant for the workforce with styles like Keen Utility Tacoma work boots.
Keen undoubtedly is a fast-growing company since its inception and, to further accommodate its vision, the company shifted its headquarters from Alameda, California to Portland, Oregon. Interestingly, the Keen headquarters is 5 minutes away from the Keen-owned factory. This was a precise glimpse into Keen’s story. Let’s see what future the brand holds.
Market Served By Keen:
Currently, Keen footwear is sold in over 85 countries located in North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, South America, and Africa. To successfully facilitate the distribution, Keen has over 600 employees in offices located in Oregon, Canada, Netherlands, Japan, and Kentucky.
Furthermore, the 2021 Keen report revealed that they have 9 owned garages (2 in the US, 7 in Japan), and 7 Distributor owned and managed garages (1 in the Netherlands, 5 in the Czech Republic, and 1 in Hong Kong). The company also has 5 keen outlets in Japan.
You can buy Keen products from 22 authentic online retailers and they have 33 trusted dealers worldwide. You can read all the updated data about stores and dealers on the official page of Keen.
References
- https://www.keenfootwear.com/conservation/blog-article-20390.html
- https://www.keenfootwear.com/the-keen-effect/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keen_(shoe_company)
Kizik Shoes: Where Are They Made? (Countries Revealed!)
I have not come across such an innovative shoe like Kiziks; maybe I don’t have enough experience with shoes, but without any hiccups, I can say that these hands-free shoes have stolen my heart. That’s why I want to know where they are made with other quests that I think you would enjoy reading.
Who Owns Kizik?
The Kizik brand was born in late 2018 by the founder of Ogio, Michael Pratt, after selling Ogio International for $75.5 Million to Callaway Golf. After seeing the opportunities ahead, he patents the technologies of Kizik by starting HandsFree Labs to license them to other footwear companies further. In 2019, Nike invests in HandsFree labs’ accessible on-and-off technology to create sports shoes that demand little to no time in tying, yet give desired functionality.
It is good to see that Mike Pratt is doing something to make our lives easy, I agree that it is not groundbreaking, well said innovation is innovation however little it is. Now, in contrast, I think the innovations we are seeing right now in footwear are just a start and have much to cover. Let’s see whether footwear innovations make our lives easy better or lazy.
Kizik Shoes Manufacturing Countries
I never want to make my articles based on speculation as they are not as strong as facts. So in my quest to find proof of where kiziks are made. I contacted the brand, and they were very generous, which I admire. According to Clarke Anderson (Kizik Staff), Kizik shoes are made in Vietnam and China, but kizik uses the materials for the shoes that are made in the US as well as in Vietnam and China.
Seeing the potential that Kizik shoes hold, with the growth in its customer base, we will see more countries coming to the list of manufacturing the brand shoes. We all hope to see some pairs genuinely made in the US too. But even if not, there ain’t much problem because even after being made in China and Vietnam, the company’s managing staff seem to have a pretty good hold on those factories to control quality and craftsmanship.
Related: Where Are Ryka Shoes Made? (Only For Women)
Why Are Kizik Shoes Made In China?
Because Noodles are born there! Ha ha, jokes aside; They made Kizik shoes in china because china offers varied opportunities for the shoe industry, which include – low labor costs, different quality standards by price, a potentially more significant workforce, excellent infrastructures, and much more. China takes about 50% of total footwear manufacturing worldwide.
We can elaborate on dozen things, but the only reason kizik, along with other brands like HOKA and Brooks, have some manufacturing in China is their ability to produce high-quality shoes while keeping the cost low despite having shipping charges, import duties, and quality control.
Why Are Kizik Shoes Made In Vietnam?
I think there are more kizik shoes made in Vietnam than in China (I could be wrong). Kizik is an intelligent brand. I don’t think they believe in the squandering of opportunities that lie in Vietnam. The country is one of the largest footwear manufacturers in the world. Additionally, it accounts for over 10% of total footwear export worldwide. And, it is just a start, due to the availability of good quality raw materials, convenient shipping logistics, value towards sustainability and craftsmanship, and above all these, there are little to no duty restrictions when exporting from Vietnam.
You can mimic the idea of the rise of Vietnamese shoes because it is the third largest footwear manufacturer, producing an average of 920 million pairs, 800 million on average get exported to other countries. Thus, there should be no doubt why kizik shoes are made in Vietnam.
Where Kizik Sells Their Shoes?
Now (2022), kizik shoes are only sold in the United States and Canada. In my interview with kizik, they say, ‘ At this time, we are not offering International Shipping outside the US & Canada. If you are needing to ship outside the US, we are happy to put you on a mailing list. If we open shipping up to additional countries shortly, we can contact you with that update and offer.’
I’ll update you once Kizik shoes are available in other countries.
What Is Unique About Kizik Shoes?
The ONE thing that sets Kizik apart from its competition is creating shoes that can be put in and out without bending down or need of laces. Kizik’s parent company developed F.A.S.T (Foot Activated Shoe Technology) to achieve this endeavor, which uses a Deformable Element called F1 Titanium Arc. The titanium structure sits on the ankle and rebounds when you try to put on the shoe; thus, you get to wear a hands-free shoe.
“HandsFree Labs’ technologies are redefining how people wear their shoes,” said Scott Frazier, Managing Partner of the Frazier Group.
Are Kizik Shoes Durable?
When you hear that your shoe is made in China or Vietnam, a common question always arises: whether this freaking shoe will last long or not. Trust me; I have worn many Asian-made shoes – some stand great in quality, many poor. It could be due to the type of sports and outdoor activities I do that the outsole of my shoes gets paper thin in 2-3 months.
But I don’t think this is the case with Kiziks because I’ve read many reviews, and all said shoes are very durable for casual wear and average hike. However, I don’t think they made these shoes for thru-hiking on rough trails, but for occasional hikes, playing cricket, running, walking (casual-type sports), and, as office wear, you can’t go wrong with these shoes. And there are many reasons to say this.
One main reason is the use of custom polymers and aerospace-grade titanium connected with scrupulous manufacturing processes makes the shoe hard-wearing for years to come.
Kizik claims to test (100,000 cycle tests & counting) all of its technology rigorously to meet the highest quality standards so that we consumers have the peace of mind that the easy on and off feature of the shoe stays working throughout its life count.
Saucony Shoes: Where Are They Made? (With Shoe Tags)
It is nearly impossible that a runner and a hiker have not heard about the Saucony brand in their entire life because the brand is standing strong in the market for over 124 years – way before our grandparents were born. And why not? Saucony offers shoes in 5 distinct categories – Competition, Road, Trail, Train, and Walking. Apart from shoes, the brand sells performance running and lifestyle apparel. But today we will only focus on where Saucony shoes and other footwear are made.
So let’s see where your best and worst pair of Saucony is coming from.
Saucony Shoes Manufacturing: Countries Revealed!
According to the data published in Saucony (WWW) Global Impact Report, 2021. All Saucony shoes/footwear are made in the United States Of America, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Argentina, Turkey, Pakistan, India, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Burma, and the Philippines.
However, Vietnam accounts for 31-40% and China holds 21-20% off Saucony footwear production. All other countries mentioned takes 1-20% of manufacturing inclusively (Cambodia, Indonesia, and Bangladesh take the most). It may also surprise you that Saucony’s owner only has 33 core manufacturing partners who manufacture the majority of the company’s shoes.
As a U.S. citizen, you may find it startling to see that there are more Saucony shoes made in China and Vietnam than in the USA. Even, after looking at tons of shoes of this brand, I did not find any Made In USA shoes but many Vietnamese and Chinese-made Saucony shoes as you can see in the above images.
But that does not mean there are no American-made Saucony shoes. You’ll find some; because the company’s supply chain data suggest that they do have at least 1% of manufacturing in the USA. The reason why Asian countries take the most share in shoe manufacturing is because of the production cost, the market needs, and corporate and geographical benefits.
I am seeing a great percentage of rise in the Vietnam shoe industry because while writing articles on Hoka, Brooks, ASICS, ON, and Hey Dude, I found that Vietnam is one of the major footwear producers for these brands. Not Joking! Just read those articles and I have all the proof for them.
Like APAC and EMEA will see more Asian-made Saucony shoes than USA or Mexican-made because the economy is not as strong as the USA in many of the countries of these regions. Cheap labor and less transporting costs (to transport in nearby countries), etc make it an economical choice.
That does not mean every piece of the manufacturing puzzle happens only in these countries because the final draft of the Conflict Minerals Policy published in April 2014 says “Wolverine (Saucony Owner) and its third-party suppliers purchase raw materials and parts from a variety of sources”. This means that the raw materials and other components required for manufacturing Saucony shoes may be coming from other countries that are not listed or through the inter-country supply chain. To say, the insole/outsole is manufactured in Country A and then assembly of it may happen in ‘B’ Country.
How Saucony Chooses Suppliers For Its Shoes?
As we all know that Saucony is a part of the Wolverine Worldwide brands, so it needs to follow the Code of Conduct provided by the company itself. If we put the words of WWW, then they say that For any brand, including Saucony, Wolverine considers many factors in finalizing a factory to work with production which includes reputation, manufacturing capabilities, location, human rights, geopolitical, and infrastructures, and it must comply with their code of conduct.
As their policy, they hold zero tolerance for forced labor, human trafficking, slavery, or involuntary work of any kind. The Conflict Mineral Policy, which Wolverine itself follows, asks its suppliers to not involve in the purchase or use of conflict minerals. The company follows the processes indicated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas (the “OECD Guidance”).
Who Owns Saucony? (Short History)
Currently, Saucony is owned by Wolverine Worldwide since 2012 and falls under the Wolverine Boston Segment. A noteworthy thing is before WWW, the brand was owned by Collective Brands (2007-2012) and Stride Rite (2005-2007). This does not mean that Saucony exists only since 2005. History tells us Saucony is in the footwear market for over 124 years, creating shoes for both casual and avid outdoors and athletes. 4 business people in 1898 started the brand in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. However, the headquarter is now located in Lexington, Massachusetts. So yes, it is certain that the brand originated from the U.S. and still can be called a U.S. brand.
The greatest hits of Saucony lists Jazz (1981), Shadow (1985), Azura (1988), Grid (2000), Kilkenny XC Spike (2003), Kinvara (2009), Peregrine (2011), Guide (2011), Fastwitch (2015), Triumph Iso 2 (2015), and Endorphin Pro (2020).
Countries Where Saucony Do Business
As of December 2022, you can go to Saucony.com and get your product shipped to over 32 countries (33 to be exact). Apart from an e-commerce site, Saucony shoes are sold by many authorized sports retailers and company-owned Saucony retail stores across the united states and several other countries. Here’s the complete list of countries where Saucony shoes are sold.
What Countries Manufactures Bzees Shoes?
Bzees shoes are known to provide lightweight shoes that provide liberating comfort and the freedom to throw them in your washing machine and then simply air dry to get the new and refreshing feeling once again. So, it is a good brand but we are all curious to know in which countries they are made. let’s find out.
What Did I Find About Bzees Shoe Manufacturing?
To know where Bzees’ shoes are coming from, we need to know who overlooks the manufacturing of Bzees. A company named Naturalizer started in 2013 to provide a collection of shoes that weighs less than 6 pounds. Though, both Naturalizer and Bzees are owned by Brown Shoe Company, Inc which now know as Caleres. We need to contact them to know where are Bzees shoes manufactured. Let’s do that.
According to Caleres, all their 15+ brands come from the same pool of sustainable suppliers and manufactures, and Bzees is no exception. As per Caleres 2021 and ESG partners report, all Bzees shoes, along with its other brands, are primarily made in China, then India, Vietnam, Italy, and the Dominican Republic. The company also manufactures in the United States, but that is not for Bzees its more premium brands like Allen Edmonds.
If we see the previous year data than in 2021, then majority all Clares brands (including Bzees) footwear are manufactured by approximately 66 manufacturers operating about 120 facilities..
Related: Where Are Saucony Shoes Made?
What about retail operations of the company? Unfortuanately bzees shoes sells only in United States via retail and e-commerce medium. However sites like Amazon.com offers international shipping for many Bzees styles which you could use, though first ensure that you that there’s some kind of support offered by brand in your country otherwise you may need to face some difficulty in case you want to return the product.
Where Are Asics Shoes Made? (6 Countries Revealed)
All Asics shoes are made in Vietnam. Brazil, Japan, Argentina, Cambodia, and Indonesia. So if your shoe has a ‘Made in *’ tag for any mentioned country then rest assured it is genuine (while checking other factors like design, logo, and place of purchase). Otherwise, it is fake.
This also means that any Chinese-made Asics shoes are total crap and have no authenticity because Asics does not have a single factory there.
In terms of Asics’ priority for shoes, Vietnam takes the lead by manufacturing the highest volume of shoes and the only reason for that is Asics have partnered with 13 factories which is the highest compared to any other country listed in this article. If you want to know why & how Asics selected these 6 countries to manufacture their shoes then this quote by Asics is more than enough:
We select countries and regions where our products can be manufactured, based on the analysis of human rights risks and risks related to sectors and regions.
Source corp.asics.com
That’s our precise answer, keep reading if you want to know the name of factories, quality control of oversea Asics shoe manufacturers, countries where Asics legally sells its shoes, and much more.
Do Asics Sells Directly From Suppliers/Manufacturers
No, Asics does not sell directly from the supplier. The manufacturers first produce the shoes as per Asics criteria and then supply them to all the distribution centers as Asics tells them to do.
I suspect there are more than 11 distribution centers as it is not completely disclosed but in reports, they have mentioned Asics Byhalia Distribution Center Of Mississippi America is one of the main centers yet not mentioned on the distributor’s page.
However, from the available data, it is clear that the supplier sent their final stock to distributors in Europe, Middle East & Africa, Asia & Oceania, and the Americas. And from the distribution center, it gets distributed to Asics-owned shops, certified retailers & e-com sites worldwide for customers like us to buy.
Yes, you heard it right Asics is a multinational company that sells shoes worldwide, though have no significant presence in the Caribbean region,
Asics Shoes Manufacturing (Country-Wise Data)
In the official factory list published by Asics in 2022 under corporate responsibility & transparency, they have only 25 factories worldwide divided into 6 countries just to manufacture footwear. Let’s see which country takes the highest share and why Asics may have chosen it.
Remember this list applies to Asics footwear only and not their other genres like Apparel and Accessories.
Japan
As we all know the Asics were officially founded in Kobe, Japan. Surprisingly Japan only has two out of 25 factories to manufacture shoes. Though supply yield can vary yet japan doesn’t account for the majority of Asics footwear that we wear.
I don’t know why but it could be of many reasons that are mentioned later in the post which may result in just 2 factories. Here are the details:
| Factory Name (Japan) | Address | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Sanin ASICS industry corporation | 2900, Wataricho, Sakaiminato, Tottori Prefecture | 1 |
| Shiotani Industry Inc. | 250-5, Ebisu, Shikama, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture | 1 |
Vietnam
Vietnam is the leading shoe manufacturer not only for Asics but even for another big player like Brooks and Hoka. Vietnam exports over a billion pairs of shoes of many kinds around the world and it has become the 2nd largest shoe exporter after china which leaves no room to doubt why Asics have chosen it as manufacturing in Vietnam is cheaper yet provides good to great quality products.
The leading manufacturing hub; Vietnam has 13 factories that produce and supply shoes to ASICS.
Here are the details for Asics shoe manufacturers in Vietnam: Out of 11, 8 are tier one factories, and 5 are tier 2 factories that are the primary suppliers to Tier 1 factories.
| Factory Name (Vietnam) | Address | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Alena Viet Nam Footwear Ltd. | Dinh Lien commune, Yen Dinh district, Thanh Hoa city, Thanh Hoa, 440000 | 1 |
| Beesco Vina Co., Ltd | Chon Thanh Industrial Park, Chon Thanh District, Binh Phuoc Province | 1 |
| Bai Hong Company Ltd. | Nguyen Giap Industrial park, Nguyen Giap village, Tu Ky district | 1 |
| Chinli Plastic Industrial Co., Ltd | Block H7, Viet Huong Industrial Park, No.13 National Rd., Thuan An Ward, Binh Duong Province | 2 |
| Freewell Co., Ltd | Lot G1-G10, D1-D10 Street N4,N3,N2,D2-D3, Bac Dong Phu Industrial Park, Tan Phu Town, Dong Phu dist, Binh Phuoc province | 1 |
| Jia Kuan shun Co., Ltd. | Block A3.1, D1 Street, Thanh Thanh Cong Industrial Zone, An Hoa Commune, Trang Bang Town, Tay Ninh Province | 2 |
| Ka Yuan (Vietnam) Bubber Factory Ltd | D10/89Q, National Highway 1A, Tan Tao Ward, Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City | 2 |
| Li Quan Footwear Co., Ltd. | Lam Cau Village, An Hiep Commune, Quynh Phu district | 1 |
| Pou Yuen Vietnam Company Ltd. | D10/89Q National Highway 1A, TanTao Ward, Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City | 1 |
| Shyang Shin Ind. Co. Ltd. Vietnam CO,LTD. | No.8 Doc Lap Ave Song Than Industrial Area 1, Di An Town, Binh Duong Province | 1 |
| Shyang Ta Co., Ltd | Lot A8 Chon Thanh I Indu strial Zone,Thanh Tam commune | 2 |
| Shyang Ying Company Ltd. | B1-B12 and E1-E12 lot,A2-A5 lot, Dong Xoai II Industrial Park, Tien Thanh Ward, Dong Xoai City, Binh Phuoc Province. | 1 |
| Try On Rubber | J-3-Cn.My Phuoc Industrial Park.Ben Cat District, Binh Duong Province | 2 |
Indonesia
After Vietnam, it is Indonesia where most Asics shoes are manufactured. Indonesia has two, tier 1 factories and three, tier 2 factories. In total Asics have 5 factories in Indonesia designated for shoes. This country is the 5th largest shoe exporter in the world and produces over 660 million pairs per year. Other brands like Hey Dude also chose Indonesia as one of the major shoe manufacturers.
Economically ASICS benefits from low wages and good quality work of Indonesian manufacturing to yield higher profits. Here are the details:
| Factory Name (Indonesia) | Address | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| PT. Beesco Indonesia | JL. Raya Karawang Cikampek KM.87,7 Tamelang, Purwasari, Karawang, Jawa Barat | 1 |
| PT. Ka Yuen Indonesia | Jl. Raya Serang Km. 71 Desa Tambak Kec | 2 |
| PT P.A Rubber Indonesia Jaya | Jln Industri III/7B Kawasan Modern Cikande, Desa Nambo Ilir Kecamatan Kibin, Serang, Banten | 2 |
| PT. Pou Chen Indonesia | Kampung Gardu RT.06/Rw.01 Tambak Kibin | 1 |
| PT. Unicorn Utama | Jl. Raya Banjaran Km 16.5, Kab Bandung, West Java | 2 |
Brazil
Brazil is the third prominent manufacturer of Asics shoes with 3 factories and all are tier 1. Why Brazil? Because Brazil is one of the main producers of shoes creating 900 million pairs of shoes for domestic and international exports. Even though the labor cost is low and has high availability; as per Statista, there are more than 269K jobs in the Brazilian footwear industry.
Here are details of Asics shoe manufacturers in Brazil that the company has officially contracted with.
| Factory Name (Brazil) | Address | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Grupo Dass – Itaberaba | Itaberaba – State of Bahia, 46880-000 | 1 |
| Paquetá Calçados Ipirá | BA-052, S/N – Industrial, Ipirá – BA, 44600-000 | 1 |
| COCALQUI | Avenida José Gonçalves Pinheiro, 155, Edmilson Correira de Vasconcelos,Quixeramobim, Ceará, 63800-000 | 1 |
Argentina & Cambodia
Argentina and Cambodia take the least share in terms of the number of factories that Asics have there to manufacture its shoes. Both factories together have only 2 factories (1 each). And here are the details for the same.
| Factory Name (Argentina) | Address | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Grupo Dass – El Dorado | Alberto Bejar Barrios, Eldorado, Misiones | 1 |
| Factory Name (Cambodia) | Address | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Wing Star Shoes, Co. Ltd. | National Road No.3, Phum Ang Sukhunthea, Khum Moharussei, Srok Korng Pisei, Ket Kampong Speu | 1 |
How Asics Ensure The Quality Of Overseas Factories
The first question arises after knowing that Vietnam and Indonesia are responsible for most Asics shoe production and not it’s home Japan. While the headquarters are in Japan what is the guarantee that the shoe we are going to get is of good quality?
As per Asics Sustainability Report 2020, they select factories and suppliers who meet all criteria and commit to continuous improvement. Once the partnership is established, Asics once a year pays notice and semi-noticed site audits the physical manufacturing facility which helps them track manufacturer sustainability performance. Even the company has 17 criteria and the facility that passes will be awarded from A to E rating.
Just for developing enhanced shoes, the company invests heavily in R&D at Asics Institute of Sports Science to make sure that the shoes are designed for long comfortable running. To make sure the shoes supplied by manufacturers match the performance, experts are working closely with factories, labor unions, and industry groups to make improvements.
Where Are Brooks Shoes Made in 2023? (100% True Data)
The majority of Brooks shoes are made in Vietnam, followed by China and Indonesia. As of June 2022, Brooks Sport, Inc. has 10 factories in Vietnam, 5 in China, and 2 in Indonesia. In total 17 factories, worldwide are responsible for 100% Brooks shoes in the year 2022.
Undoubtedly, Brooks is so deeply involved in making shoes more ergonomic and technical. All their shoes are based on HMP or habitual motion path which simply says that every runner joint’s has the least resistance path.
For such tech pieces, they can not just lend the manufacturing work to any footwear factories; they need a kind of technical skill to craft and work along with the Biomechanics Scientists of Brooks Blueline Lab.
So let’s see where are Brooks Running shoes coming from.
Let’s See Where Brooks Shoes Are Manufactured:
As per Brooks Sports Inc.’s report for June 2022, they have a total of 37 factories globally (tier 1 & 2 combined). Out of 37, 17 factories are designated to manufacture brooks shoes only. Furthermore, 9/17 are tier 1 footwear assembly factories and 8/14 are tier 2 factories that handle midsole, outsole, and insole (Sockliner) work of brooks shoes.
The majority of brooks shoe manufacturers are located in Vietnam, followed by China and Indonesia. This simply means that none of its shoes are made in the United States, even though they originated and are currently located in the US. If you doubt about the work of the remaining 20 factories; they are to manufacture apparel, accessory, and textile/fabric. If you are a shoe lover, then you would be thrilled to know that Vietnam and China are leading manufacturing choice for footwear as chosen by brands like Saucony, ASICS, ON, HOKA, and Keen.
amzn_assoc_placement = “adunit0”; amzn_assoc_search_bar = “true”; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = “thequalityypr-20”; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = “manual”; amzn_assoc_ad_type = “smart”; amzn_assoc_marketplace = “amazon”; amzn_assoc_region = “US”; amzn_assoc_title = “Best Brooks Shoes”; amzn_assoc_asins = “B08QVGSNCR,B08QTXCJW1,B08QTY8MLG,B08QVGH9LK”;Just to confirm, this factory data is for 2022 and more factories can be added or removed from the Brooks partnership. Though, don’t worry I’ll update the post when the data changes. Anyway, Brooks has doubled its factory number compared to March 2021 data. The major change is in footwear factories, In 2021 they only have 4 Tier 1 factories which increased to 9. We’ll cover the exact location of brooks tier 1 & 2 factories with a description of why they choose them later on.
All these factories have signed the Brooks Restricted Substances List Compliance Agreement and all the suppliers had to maintain the supplier code of conduct. It suggests that manufacturers and contract suppliers need to provide quality material that stands with Brooks Running strategies which include net zero carbon emissions by 2040 and converting all polyester to recycled polyester by 2023 for footwear are two of the key strategies.
Besides this, Brooks Sports is working with their tier 1 footwear assembly factories and tier 2 midsole and outsole factories to check the amount of waste generated filtered by material type, destination, and weight. All this is for the company’s vision to eliminate the waste generated and sent by footwear manufacturing to the environment, landfill, and incineration by 2025.
Is Brooks Shoes Manufactured In These Countries Good Quality?
Remove that from your mind that brooks shoes must be of lesser quality compared to that which are made in the USA or other developed countries and to assure quality control over all categories of shoes Brooks has strict criteria that by 2025, 100% of Tier 1 factories should achieve and maintain a greater than 80 verified Higg FSLM score (Higg Facility Social & Labor Module) and 80% (by dollar spend) of Tier 2 factories must maintain and arrive at the score of greater than 80 of Higg FSLM verified score.
Here are the other three visions of Brooks Shoes for its manufacturing partners:
- Achieve 100% compliance with the ZDHC MRSL by 2025. Where ZDHC stands for Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemical and MRSL says for Manufacturing Restricted Substance List.
- 100% of Tier 1 and 80% (by dollar spend) of Tier 2 to achieve and maintain verified Higg FEM Level 2 by 2025
- Vision to convert 100% of footwear manufacturing assembly chemicals to water-based by 2023.
All these strict compliances and on-paper vision forced Brooks to choose the factories around the world to only manufacture quality products keeping the environment and fair labor wage and treatment in mind.
I don’t know about you, but all these technical terminologies convinced me that all brooks products manufactured may not be great but force the partners and suppliers to manufacture at least above average quality.
Market Served By Brooks:
Even though Brooks is a US company, they offer shipping in the Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions. You can ship it directly from brooksrunning.com. In some regions, there are local stores that sell directly from Brooks Sports, Inc and the list of stores that brooks are working to sell their shoes is accessible via their store locator.
Aside, from official brooks stores, they have quite a presence on Amazon as a legit shoe store that you go and visit to check for discounts.
Brooks Shoes Manufacturing (Country Wise Data)
Vietnam
The majority of Brooks shoes are manufactured in Vietnam in 10 factories, where 6 factories handle Footwear assembly, 2 take care of outsole/midsole, and the remaining 2 manufactures insole or Sockliner for brooks shoes.
We have seen in the previous article of the series that Hoka shoes are also predominantly made in Vietnam and now 2nd episode reveals that even Brooks prefers Vietnam for shoe manufacturing. why?
I say why wouldn’t? Vietnam exports over a billion pairs of shoes of many kinds around the world and it has become the 2nd largest shoe exporter after china. So why brooks hadn’t chosen china? This is all due to Mr. Donald Trump’s announcement or threatening to increase shoe tariffs from 20% to as high as 45% (source). This resulted in U.S based companies moving their production from China to other countries to play safe. And that’s why Brooks Sports Inc. has slowly shifted from Chinese shoe manufacturing to Vietnam.
| Brooks Shoes Manufacturer In Vietnam | City | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Long Rich (VN) Co LTD | Ho Chi Minh City | Tier 1 (Footwear) |
| Long Fa (Vietnam) Co. Ltd. | Binh Phuoc | Tier 1 (Footwear) |
| Viet Power Co., LTD | Nam Dinh | Tier 1 (Footwear) |
| Vietory Company Limited | Hai Duong | Tier 1 (Footwear) |
| August Sports | Dong Nai | Tier 1 (Footwear) |
| New Shoes | Tien Giang | Tier 1 (Footwear) |
| Freeview Industrial (FVNS) | Tien Giang | Tier 2 (Midsole/Outsole) |
| Hoa Thanh Co., Ltd (Sanyu HT) | Hai Phong | Tier 2 (Midsole/Outsole) |
| Ortholite Viet Nam | Binh Duong | Tier 2 (Sockliner) |
| Shun Rong | Hai Duong | Tier 2 (Sockliner) |
China
Before all these US-China Trade Wars, As per James M. Weeber (CEO of Brooks Running), around 45% of brooks shoes were coming out from China which now only accounts for 10%. As per some reports, Weeber is planning to make 65% of its shoes in Vietnam, 10% in China, and the remaining 25% in a third country which potentially could be Indonesia.
Though, As of 2022 presented data, Brooks has 5 factories in china for shoes, of which, 4 are tier 2 factories where 2 only manufacture midsole, 1 for both outsole and midsole, and the other one manufactures insole or sockliner. Moreover, the majority of brooks shoe manufacturers in china are located in Guangdong.
Out 5 only one is Tier 1 factory that is responsible for footwear assembly.
| Brooks Shoes Manufacturer In China | City | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Dongguan Lu Zhou Shoes Co., Ltd. (GSM) | Guangdong | Tier 1 (Footwear) |
| Foshan Nanhai San Yu Footwear Co., Ltd. | Foshan | Tier 2 (Midsole/Outsole) |
| Hailex High Polymer Material Science and Technology Co., Ltd | Dongguan | Tier 2 (Midsole) |
| Yong Jing (Qingyuan) Shoe Materials Co., Ltd | Guangdong | Tier 2 (Midsole) |
| Dongguan Eco-Polymer Co., Ltd (Ortholite China) | Guangdong | Tier 2 (Sockliner) |
Indonesia
Indonesia is the new country added to the list of Brooks Shoe/footwear manufacturing in 2022. Though, it currently only has 2 factories; both are Tier 1 responsible for footwear assembly. If everything works out well then we may see even more factories in Indonesia in 2023 to manufacture brooks shoes.
| Brooks Shoes Manufacturer In Indonesia | City | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| PT Dean Shoes (YMUI) | Karawang | Tier 1 (Footwear) |
| PT Long Rich (FIB) | Jawa Brat | Tier 1 (Footwear) |
History Of Brooks Shoes:
I don’t like history contained in long paragraphs as no matter how impressive it is, it feels boring to me. So in this section, I am only going to cover the main points in Brook’s Shoe history to keep it precise yet highly informative (I hope you’ll love this effort). If you like the longer version; it is available on brooksrunning.com.
- 1914: John Brooks Goldenberg founded Brooks Sports, Inc. after purchasing Quaker Shoe Company in Philadelphia which makes bathing shoes & ballet slippers, and the founder continued making these shoes.
- 1921: Entered into the sports genre with the development of their first basketball cleats that had been worn by athletes like Mickey Mantle.
- 1929: Creates roller skates with a bumper in front to prevent crashes.
- 1930: Innovated football cleats that had Natural Bend Arc Support and Lock Tight to reduce injury by locking feet and shoes together during the game.
- 1938: Entered into the children’s genre by launching a scientifically developed shoe lineup called ‘Pedicraft’
- 1940: Brooks developed shoes for softball with soft rubber cleats which gained massive popularity.
- 1962: Brooks then-CEO Jerry Turner pitched cleats to Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. Maris declined it but Mickey bought and appreciated it with a $44 check.
- 1972: Brooks jumped into the running shoe business in 1972 when Yale graduate Frank Shorter won the Olympics running the marathon. Running suddenly becomes brooks’ primary focus.
- 1974: Brooks gains true popularity among runners after developing Villanova shoes.
- 1980: Hugger GT in my opinion is the first breakthrough technical piece developed by Brooks in association with Breathable Gore-Tex upper.
- 1981-1995: During this time Brooks invested in their R&D to develop shoes like Varus Wedge, Beast, and technologies such as Diagonal Rollbar, Kinetic Wedge, HydroFlow, and Podular Technology.
- 1999-2011: Brooks continues to gain popularity by creating advanced technical pieces for runners like Adrenaline GTS 1, Adrenaline GTS 4, and PureProject. In 2001 Brooks took a pledge to develop and focus only on running/sports gear which inspire them to develop innovative technologies to prevent injury and run better while keeping sustainability and the environment in mind with Substance 257, MoGo, BioMogo, & Green Silence.
- 2013: Transcend was the first shoe to feature Brooks one of the renowned technology ‘GuideRails’.
- 2017-2018: Now, the scientists at Brooks Sports took a huge step by introducing great techs. Like DNA AMP is a responsive midsole that returns more energy to the runner than any shoe in the market for longer, faster runs. Aside from DNA LOFT, they developed Guide Rails 2.0 helps the knee, hips, and joints to move in their Habitual Motion Path and intervene when runners go off from HMP to reduce injury as brooks in their long study found that most injury happens at the knee.
- 2020: Brings the long-awaited and asked innovation with running bra in two variants
- 1) Drive collection features flexible, compression style support.
- 2) Dare collection that keeps you in with built-in molded cups.
