July
8
2013
By
The Staff
of Valet.
Advertisement
 
The

All-American Sneaker

Special
Promotion
by

New Balance

New Balance was founded in Boston, Massachusetts back in 1906 as the New Balance Arch Company. A leading manufacturer of arch supports, they decided in 1938 to create their first pair of running shoes from the inside out. That commitment to comfort and craftsmanship was the secret to the brand's success—both then and now. Today, they're the only major shoe company making athletic footwear in the United States. And about 25% of the shoes New Balance sells in America each year (nearly 7 million pairs) are crafted in factories along the East Coast, where shoemaking has been a skill passed down from generation to generation. So whether you're looking for the latest technology in running shoes or one of their classics with old school appeal, they've got you covered with hardwearing, comfortable footwear sewn with pride and integrity.

By the Numbers
 
8.4
Years
 
The average on-the-job experience of New Balance's manufacturing associates.
 
 
15
Different pairs of hands one shoe passes through from start to finish.
 
 
1,300
The number of workers employed by
New Balance's American factories.
 
93
Individual production steps required to complete one pair of 574 sneakers.
7,000
The number of American workers employed by suppliers of the materials for the shoes.
 
38
The number of US-based suppliers that provide materials for the shoes.
 
Anatomy of an American Sneaker

Made at the Norridgewock, Maine factory, the Custom 574 allows you to modify 15 separate areas of the shoe with different materials and color combinations. The finished sneaker is sent to you in about a week.

Laces

Purchased from two vendors, Rhode Island Textile and Sole Choice in Portsmouth, OH.

Suede

Produced by Tasman leather in Harland, Maine.

Label

Made by Stephen Gould Corporation
of Tweksbury, MA.

Embroidery

Threads in various colors are purchased from Coats North America in Charlotte, NC.

See more from the Made in the USA collection »
 

Share

Facebook

Save

Note: One out of every four pairs of shoes New Balance sells in the USA is made or assembled here.
Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes "Made in the USA."