American Leather Shoes

Leather has long been used to make the finest shoes for people all across America. Since the early settlers arrived in the new world in 1628, they brought boots made from leather. The very first settlers formed a colony in Salem, Massachusetts, which is where the very first shoemakers in America got started. The men who became the very first shoemakers in America were from London, Thomas Beard and Issac Rickman. They brought their shoemaking skills at the behest of the owner of the New England Shoe Company of London, England. They arrived in Salem and were put up by the Governor of settlement in Salem. Beard remained in Salem for about 14 years according to records and then he left for Portsmouth, New Hampshire. By all accounts, he was extremely successful in making shoes for all of the inhabitants of the colony at the time. He was able to use the skills of shoemaking that he learned before leaving England for a new life in the New World. Other shoemakers continued to make the long journey across the big pond from England to find a new life and ply their trade for everyone. Using tools and their skills, they helped to mend shoes and turn raw leather into fine footwear. Flash forward to modern times, there are several companies that have been designing and making some of the finest shoes and boots from leather for nearly 150 years. When it comes to making shoes and boots, nothing beats real, genuine leather as the material of choice. While fine footwear can be found in countries all across the globe, there are still several American shoe companies that will give them a serious run for their money.

Why is leather such a popular material for making shoes?

Humans have been using the hides of animals for the protection of their feet since the dawn of mankind. These animal hides were fastened into coverings that protected them from the cold and from sharp objects on the ground. While in earlier days the hides came from animals that were trapped or raised on farms specifically for that purpose. However, in modern-day, the overwhelming major of animal hides are acquired from slaughterhouses and meat-producing operations. Leather materials made from the hides of a variety of animals are used by the footwear industry. There are several reasons why leather makes such a good material to make shoes from. Below are just a few of them:

Top reasons why leather is a good material for making shoes from

● Lightweight

● Strong

● Supple

● It breathes

Leather shoes are extremely durable and very comfortable which makes them an exceptional value. Along with being durable, leather can be tanned or dyed into a wide variety of shades and colors. Most of today’s shoes are still being made using the same techniques that have been used for thousands of years.

American Shoe Company’s

Today, people in America have access to shoes and boots from some of the finest shoemakers from all over the globe. Whether you choose imported shoes in some of the finest footwear stores in America or buy them directly from the makers online. However, if you still prefer to buy your leather shoes from sources in America, you are in luck. America is still the home of some of the top shoemakers in the world and many of the companies have been around for more than 100 years. Shoemakers such as Redwing, Alden, and Allen Edmonds are all still located inside the United States and are making shoes for people who are looking for high-quality shoes.

American Shoe Makers

There are many, many American-based shoe companies, however, we are going to focus our attention on three of the most popular brands in the American Shoe Industry. Each of them offers a number of leather shoes to its customers.

Red Wing Shoe Company

Red Wing Shoe Company has been manufacturing primarily leather work shoes and boots since it was founded in 1905. The headquarters is still located in Red Wing, Minnesota where the company was founded by Charles H. Beckman. Red Wing makes work shoes and boots for both men and women. They make a wide range of boots and shoes for working, hiking, and other outdoor activities. The use of leather materials helps to make their shoes and boots some of the finest in the industry.

Alden Shoe Company

Alden Shoe Company was founded in Middlesbrough, Massachusett by Charles H. Alden. Companies like Alden came about when the invention of sewing machines designed especially for making shoes hit the shoemaking industry in the New England area of the US. No longer did they have to contend with only making a single hand-sewn pair of shoes. They were now capable of keeping up with the high demand for the finest footwear. Alden currently manufactures all of its shoes and footwear in the same factory that was built in Middlesbrough, Massachusett back in 1970.

Allen Edmonds Shoes

Allen Edmond Shoe was founded in 1922 in Wisconsin. It was founded by Elbert W. Allen in Belgium, Wisconsin. They originally made all of their shoes by hand and they eventually shifted to machine manufacturing. The Allen Edmond Shoe Corporation is no longer owned by the Allen Family, it was sold to John Stollenwerk in 1980. Mr. Stollenwerk however, has stayed true to the Allen Family history of shoe-making to this day.

These companies are what’s left of American Shoe manufacturing as nearly 98% of all shoes are being made overseas. If you are looking for high-quality Made in USA leather shoes and boots, you can still find them in many retail stores all across America.