Red Wing Shoes has been on the market for a long time. The brand was founded by Charles Beckman in 1905 and headquartered in Red Wing, Minnesota. By 1915, they had already pushed their production to over 200,000 pairs of boots per year, most of which were used for American soldiers participating in World War II. At that time, Red Wing was known as the primary bootmaker for World War II.
Red Wing is famous for its heavy leather work boots. Still, the company has lately expanded its product line to include more athletic-style boots and boots for some particular professional applications such as mining and the service sector. Red Wing has been linked with American manufacturing for such a long time, but are all its goods still made in the United States? Let’s delve right in to discover now!
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Are Red Wing Boots Made in the USA?
According to Red Wing, the majority of their boots are handmade in the USA. Compared to other shoe and bootmakers who have shifted most of their production overseas, this proportion is relatively impressive. Red Wing’s American manufacturing primarily takes place in their plants, located in Potosi, Missouri, Red Wing, Minnesota, Danville, and Kentucky.
When entering the work boot line section on Red Wing’s official website, you can see that there are two categories of manufacture, including ‘Made in USA’ (23%) and ‘Assembled in the USA with imported components. About the Heritage line, it is stated to be 100% American-made.
Popular Regions Make Red Wing Products
In addition to the Heritage line that is 100% manufactured in the USA, Red Wing also makes their products in other countries. Specifically, their good work boots lines are manufactured in Asian nations, namely China, Korea, and Vietnam.
Along with manufacturing footwear under their brand name, Red Wing Shoes also makes shoes under the Irish Setter Boots, Vasque, Worx, and Carhartt brands (closed in 2011). All of these non-Red Wing brands include many products primarily made in the People’s Republic of China.
The boots’ countries of origin are all disclosed by Red Wing on their product sites, which is hidden in the ‘Materials Used’ section. You can see where their boots are produced by going to the ‘technical specifications’ section of each product page and clicking on ‘Materials Used.’ For example, if you look at their King Toe boots, you will see that they’re manufactured in Cambodia.
If you’re curious about the location of where Dingo boots are made, we have you covered. Check out our article on Where Are Dingo Boots Made? to learn more about the origin and quality of these boots.
Are Red Wing Boots Good?
Oil-tanned leather is used in the majority of Red Wing models, such as the Irish Setter and the Iron Ranger. It’s resistant to water, stains, and sweat. The majority of Red Wing boots are built using the traditional technique- Goodyear welt construction that turns all quality materials into highly durable and comfortable work boots and shoes. According to Red Wing, each pair of their boots requires more than 230 steps to make by hand.
Each cut leather pieces are carefully and beautifully sewn together to make the boot’s upper by skillful sewing machine operators. The brand has been using the same century-old Puritan sewing machines used in Red Wing Shoes Company’s earlier years, indicating the heritage and timelessness of every Red Wing product.
In addition to the Goodyear welt construction, Red Wing also uses stitchdown construction to make their Heritage boot line, making the boots comfortable and flexible straight out of the box. The stitchdown construction originates from the 17th century. The upper of the boot is flanged outwards and sewn to the midsole. Especially, thanks to the stitchdown construction and the Goodyear welt technique, most of the Red Wing boots can be resoled. So, you can use them for a very long time.
According to customer reviews, Red Wing boots are comfortable to wear, and they are satisfied with the quality of these boots. They also claim that it only takes them about four to five days to break in new Red Wing boots. In addition, Red Wing has treated the leather used for its boots in an excellent way, making them long-lasting and good-looking. If you only used these boots for casual wear, they can last you up to 20 years or more, depending on the way you take care of your boots.
Red Wing Boots Prices
Red Wing durable waterproof work boots for men and women cost around $100-$200. For Red Wing’s heritage boot line, the price ranges from $200 to $300 in the men category and $300-$550 in the women category. The Heritage line price range is considered pretty reasonable for an American-made, Goodyear welted boot with special techniques. If you search for the landscape of boots, you would agree that the price is not low and not expensive as well.
Red Wing boots are well worth the investment because of their high-quality craftsmanship, durability, and flexibility to be used with many styles of outfits throughout the year. Red Wing boots are constructed from the brand’s well-known thick, full-grain leather and have become a popular choice among fashion-conscious men all over the world.
