Our readers have been asking for sources for American made sneakers, athletic shoes, running shoes, gym shoes, tennis shoes… or Over the years, our readers have consistently asked for resources to help them find American-made sneakers and athletic shoes. Whether you call them running shoes, gym shoes, tennis shoes, or simply sneakers, finding domestically made-options can be a challenge. To make your search easier, we’ve curated a comprehensive list of brands and styles that are proudly made in the USA. This guide includes shoe brand options for men and women, covering everything from walking shoes and minimalist running shoes to bike shoes, golf shoes, and athletic sandals. You might even be surprised to spot a few popular brand names in this list!
The Best Sneakers and Athletic Footwear Made in America
When it comes to sneakers and athletic footwear, choosing products made in the USA has gained popularity for several reasons. Consumers appreciate the quality craftsmanship, sustainable production practices, and the opportunity to support local jobs. However, finding the perfect pair of shoes requires more than just reading a label. Here’s a detailed guide to help you make the best choice when shopping for American-made sneakers and athletic shoes.
Why Choose Made-in-USA Sneakers?
Superior Craftsmanship: Sneakers manufactured in the United States often adhere to stricter quality control standards. Skilled artisans and advanced manufacturing techniques ensure that every stitch, sole, and material is precisely crafted for durability and performance. Several of the companies on this list offer shoes made with human hands and knowledge passed down through generations.
Ethical Practices: American-made shoes are produced under stringent labor laws, ensuring fair wages and ethical working conditions. Buying locally made products reflects a commitment to social responsibility.
Environmental Benefits: Many American sneaker companies prioritize sustainable practices, such as sourcing eco-friendly materials and reducing carbon footprints. When you shop locally, you're cutting down on the environmental impact associated with overseas shipping.
Supporting Local Economies: Each purchase of American-made sneakers supports domestic manufacturing. It’s an investment in your community as American footwear companies employ local workers and keep jobs at home. Several of the American shoe brands on this list are family-owned and run small businesses.
The American-made footwear industry is a tough business to be in! Most of the shoes on this list are made by human hands which is time-consuming. Due to the price of premium leather and other raw materials, Due to these production costs, domestically made footwear costs more than their foreign-made counterparts. We update this list every year and sadly, many companies don't make it. This is why it is important to invest in high-quality footwear that lasts and support American footwear brands.
It’s important to note that some shoes labeled as “Made in the USA” are crafted using globally sourced materials. Many American companies rely on high-quality components from around the world to create their products domestically. This approach allows brands to combine global innovation with the craftsmanship and ethical labor practices associated with U.S.-based manufacturing. While some purists prefer products made entirely from U.S.-sourced materials, it’s worth recognizing that shoes made in America from globally sourced components often maintain excellent quality while supporting American jobs and industries.
Features to Consider When Choosing Sneakers and Athletic Footwear
Comfort and Fit: Whether you’re buying running shoes, walking sneakers, or casual footwear, comfort should be a top priority. Brands manufacturing domestically often use high-quality insoles, ergonomic designs, and advanced technologies to ensure a perfect fit.
Performance: For athletes, the right footwear can make all the difference. Look for features like breathable materials, lightweight designs, and enhanced traction to support your specific sport or activity.
Style: Made-in-USA sneakers come in a variety of styles, from minimalist designs to bold, colorful patterns. American brands often blend functionality with fashion, ensuring you don’t have to compromise on aesthetics.
Durability: One major advantage of American-made footwear is its longevity. Higher-quality materials and meticulous production mean your sneakers can withstand wear and tear better than many mass-produced alternatives.
As someone who used to sell shoes, I’ve also added a few tips on selecting the right footwear for your needs. If we’ve missed your favorite American-made sneaker brand, please let us know in the comments—we’re happy to update our list!
Made in USA Sneakers and Athletic Footwear: The Source List
Casual Sneakers Made in USA
Casual sneakers are perfect for everyday wear. These shoes combine comfort with style, making them versatile enough for errands, social outings, or simply lounging. Here are some of the top brands producing casual sneakers in the United States:
- COMUNITYMade These handcrafted sneakers are made in small batches in downtown Los Angeles by skilled artisans. Designed for both men and women, the shoes offer stylish and colorful options. ComunityMade shoes are lightweight, high quality, and made with premium leather and vegan materials.
- made+. Known for their unisex designs, made+ sneakers are handcrafted and made to order. Their commitment to local production spans factories across the USA. Made+ footwear is constructed using 100% recycled repreve yarn, which is the premier eco-fiber that is made from recycled content. Made+ sneakers have a fully knitted upper which is lightweight and durable. They do not use latex in the construction of their shoes.
- Opie Way Offering both canvas and leather sneakers for men and women, Opie Way focuses on quality craftsmanship with all products made in the USA. NOTE: The Opie Way factory in Asheville, North Carolina was destroyed by the flooding from Hurricane Helene in September of 2024. We will update when and if they re-open.
- Queen City Footwear Based in Vermont, this brand offers a range of leather and suede sneakers, including slip-ons, high-tops, and lace-up styles.
- SAS San Antonio Shoes Known for their supportive and comfortable footwear, SAS sneakers are great for casual wear as well as light athletic activities. Shop SAS at Amazon. Zappos.com, and Walmart.com.
American Made Tennis Shoes, Running Shoes, Walking Shoes, Cross Fit Shoes & Gym Shoes
If you are looking for a sneaker with more foot support, than a running shoe or walking shoe is what you need. Running shoes are usually lighter than walking shoes. Both are built for foot support. The exception is Minimalist running shoes, as they are made to be more like running barefoot, so they will have the least foot support.
- Carson Footwear Based in Oregon, Carson specializes in minimalist running shoes, hiking shoes, and cross-training sneakers.
- made+. Pickleball is all the rage now and made+ now offers a shoe specially made for pickleball! The bangr is engineered for high performance on indoor and outdoor pickleball courts.
- New Balance While not all New Balance sneakers are made in the USA, they offer several styles produced in their Massachusetts factory in small batches. Look for their “Made in USA” label to identify eligible products. New Balance shoes are a go-to shoe for those with a wide foot as they typically have a wide toe box and they are available in wide sizes. Don't miss our lists of made-in-USA New Balance women's sneakers and men’s sneakers, New Balance is listed in 10 Things We Love, Made in Massachusetts
- Reebok Reebok's line of American-made walking sneakers provides ample support and comfort for everyday wear. These sneakers are designed specifically for postal workers who are walking for extended periods. Reeboks typically run on the wider side.
- SAS San Antonio Shoes Sneakers and athletic shoes for men and women are available in multiple styles, all made in the USA. They carry sneakers for running, boot camp classes, weight training and more. Shop SAS at Amazon. Zappos.com, and Walmart.com.
- SoftStar Handmade in Oregon, SoftStar shoes RunAmoc is a minimalist running shoe that is available for men, women, and children.
- SOM Footwear Operating out of Colorado, SOM produces high-quality minimalist shoes, in select styles including running shoes, trail sneakers, and casual footwear. SOM Footwear sneakers have a flat footing, making them great for weight training.
- Victory Sportswear Specializing in road, trail, and marathon running shoes, Victory Sportswear continues the legacy of Hersey Shoe Company with individually stitched sneakers made in Fitchburg, MA. NOTE: At this update in November 2024, Victory Sportswear is on a manufacturing pause. Hopefully, they will be back for orders soon!
Don't miss our lists of Cardio Equipment Made In The USA, Dumbbells Made in the USA, and Shop USA Made Treadmills And Exercise From Home.
Made in USA Athletic Sandals
Athletic sandals, or adventure sandals, are created for outdoor sports and activities like hiking, kayaking, running and more.
- Bedrock Sandals These minimalist sandals for men & women are designed for outdoor adventures. The Cairn Line is assembled in the USA from domestic and foreign parts, and the Classic Line is made in Montana. Note: The Mountain Clog Line is made in South Korea.
- LUNA Sandals LUNA produces durable minimalist sandals for the entire family. Not all Luna Sandals are made in the USA, however, they have a large selection of sandals made to order in Wenatchee, Washington.
- Unshoes This Utah-based company focuses on minimal sandals with outdoor sandals in sizes for men, women, and kids.
- Shamma Sandals These minimalist running sandals are handcrafted in Santa Cruz, California.
Golf Shoes Made in USA
- ATHALONZ Mana Mangrove Pro The Mana Mangrove Pro golf shoes are made with waterproof Italian leather and handcrafted in the USA. Note: Only the Mana Mangrove Pro is made in the USA.
- COMMUNITYMade Their golf shoe collection combines Italian leather with a Los Angeles-based production process, offering stylish options for men and women.
Check out our list of Unique Golf Gifts, All American Made, and Golf Shoes Made in the USA- Do They Exist?
American Made Bike Shoes
- D2Shoe Specializing in custom-made bike shoes, D2Shoe designs their products with both comfort and performance in mind. Each pair is handmade in the USA.
Don't miss our list of American Made Bikes: From Trikes to High Performance, and American Made Bike Gear.
American Made Footwear Accessories
Complete your footwear collection with these American-made accessories:
- Ener-Gel: These inserts are designed to provide extra support and comfort for walking and athletic activities.
Don’t Forget to Explore More!
Looking for additional options? Check out our Made in USA Activewear and Fashion Fitness Wear Source List for clothing to pair with your new sneakers.
If you discover any other brands crafting sneakers or athletic footwear in the USA, drop us a note in the comments—we’d love to feature them in our next update!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post which USA Love List is proud to share with you because, sponsored or not, we only share stuff we love.
Cover image: SOM Footwear Trailhead athletic sneaker
Don't miss our other American made footwear lists:
- Vegan Shoes Made in USA
- Made in USA Boots for Women
- American Made Shoes
- Women's Dress Shoes
- Best Clogs Made in USA
- Made in USA Work Boots, Hiking Boots, and More
- Men's Dress Shoes
- Men's Sandals
- Made in USA Cowboy Boots
- Women's Sandals and Flip Flops
- Made in USA Slippers & Moccasins
- Made in USA Shoes for Kids
- Kid's Sandals and Flip Flops
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I love the emphasis on supporting American-made products! It’s great to see so many stylish and high-quality sneakers and athletic footwear being produced in the USA. Can’t wait to check out the brands you’ve highlighted!
Unfortunately SOM Footwear has gone out of business. Hopefully someone will take their place and continue.
I have worn New Balance for years. The hold up longer and are comfortable and don’t cramp my toes. I wear them to workout in the gym.
Made in USA Sneakers & Athletic Footwear: The Ultimate Source List” is a game-changer for conscious consumers seeking quality and patriotism. This exhaustive guide spotlights brands committed to domestic production, offering a diverse range of sneakers and athletic footwear. An invaluable resource for those prioritizing craftsmanship, supporting local industries, and making ethically informed choices in their footwear purchases
MadePlus manufactures their shoes in Maryland. Just found them this week!
Thanks for the site. Sorry if I missed them here, but Sloggers offer high quality garden shoes/slip ons made in the USA.
We have been New Balance fans for years because I refuse to buy $100 shoes that the company paid someone in Asia $10 a day. Just learned today that 25% of NB are made in the USA. They are prominently marked as Made in USA.
What’s up with listing Sketchers as Made in USA? They are not made in USA. All the damn materials are either sourced overseas or made overseas in China and Viet Nam.
Skechers USA, Inc. is an American footwear company headquartered in Manhattan Beach, California. Sketchers products are all manufactured in independent factories located overseas. These factories are mostly located in China and Vietnam and there are no factories located in the USA.
Hi Sir, Not really sure what you are referring too? WE DO NOT, NOR HAVE WE EVER, LISTED SKETCHERS AS MADE IN THE USA! Maybe you saw this article title and did not read it? https://www.usalovelist.com/where-are-skechers-made/. Readers ask us about popular brands and we respond.
What a great read about shoes. Great info.. Thanks
So many cute shoes!!!
What about KEDS? There’s an article from 2016 that says they are moving manufacturing to Michigan, but can’t find on their website.
I have not come across any KEDS made in the USA in my searching. Will add them if I do.
Hey Tracey,
What would you say about basketball shoes made in the USA? I would suggest please list them also
I have not found any made in USA basketball shoes. I will add them to the list if I do.
Everything that is made in the USA is the best. We have high quality products.
Woobies!!!!!!!!!
Very informative post. Thank you so much.
Second the comment about Keen. They say they brought the factory back to USA: https://www.keenfootwear.com/american-built/
I’ve never heard of most of these companies. I’ll start looking out for them.
It was nice to see some shoes are made in the USA.
I am so glad that that there are still some shoe made in America.
Is the brand British Knight shoes made in America
No, they are not made in the USA.
https://originmaine.com/durable-goods/boots/
Okabashi in Georgia
PSUDO shoes!!! Made in Wisconsin, fabric from NC, soles from MO.
A lot of these look really nice. I’ll look to these for my next pair.
We need a company to start making sneakers and shoes that are made in the USA.
I spoke to someone at merrell’s and all there sneakers and shoes, actually all there
merchandise are bought & made in China. Its time we buy in our USA!
Unfortunately PW Minor is no longer in business. They shut their doors for the last time on October 5, 2018 after 150 years in the shoe making business.
Finally people are searching for american products and not cheap Chinese low quality bs.
Unfortunately PW Minor went out of business last year.
I want to find a USA manufactured long-distance walking shoe. I love MBT rocker walking shoes but wear the soles out in six months, at $200 this is steep for six months use. I’m 70+ (35 X 2 plus a little) old and average 30+ miles walking a week with very bad knees, so I need shoes that are easy on the knees. Any suggestions besides ordering a new body?
NIke are garbage, didnt last 3 months, the tips all came unglued. 70.00… Might try NB.
Just threw my nike’s In the garbage ! Going out tomorrow to buy a pair of New Balance ! Great site , thanks !
I love my New Balance, but both pair of my golf shoes are made in China…FYI
My NB classic 574 ripped on the side where leather meets the sole after 1 week. made in Vietnam.( junk)
does it have amazon listing
Thanks for sharing USA sneakers list here.
This is a great list! And I’ve started looking for athletic footwear for this summer. Now I have a good selection of choices to buy them made in USA!
Does anyone know about an American sneaker with Gel Soles like Asics? I tried New Balance, but nothing comparable.
I just discovered this site and wanted to know if these sites offer Vegan friendly sneakers as well. I am browsing around but can not find it yet if the sites have them.
are you looking for a shoe you can eat ? SMFH
LOL! I was wondering the very same thing! How does a lack of meat, eggs, or milk have to do with shoes? Do those that *make* the shoes have to be vegans?
*facepalm*
For anyone who doesn’t know, “vegan friendly shoes/products” are those that aren’t made of animal parts, for example LEATHER.
Vegan means not consuming animal products, so they don’t use leather or fur or anything in addition to not eating them.
That’s huge list. really informative article too. thanks for it.
This is the first time I’ve heard of any of these, and wow, have I been missing out! I love the Earth Runners Sandals, I want to check them out, they look really cute and good for your feet!
You totally missed the Keen company in Portland, Oregon. They’re an awesome company as well as manufacturing great shoes – in the USA.
Keen shoes are made in China.
Sorry. Lems are made in China. Keen is USA.
My Keen work boots are “American Made” from globally sourced materials.
really informative resources. thanks
Where can I try them on at?
Looking for all white mens tennis shoes, USA made.
Unless you can find some vintage Converse (from when they were made in the USA), I think your best bet is New Balance. https://www.newbalance.com/made-in-the-usa/ I will keep looking !
I was in Kohls today and NB sneakers were all made in Vietnam and Indonesia
You’ll likely only find Made in the USA New Balance in New Balance stores. Or buy them on their website.
I contacted Brook Shoes… they say they are made I. Vietnam
Come on man. There’s no need to bring race into this.
I just discovered this site and wanted to know if these sites offer Vegan friendly sneakers as well. I am browsing around but can not find it yet if the sites have them.
Good idea for a new list Debra! I will see what I can find in Vegan footwear made in USA.
wait vegan footwear, thats a thing?
Another one to add to this list: XeroShoes!
Recently featured on Shark Tank, I believe.
They make minimalist sandals and now, shoes.
Nowhere on there website does it say made in the USA
I have been wearing New Balance for years for running and walking. I will check out these other companies too.
New Balance for me from now on. No more Nike.
That’s why I am here too
I’ve been wearing NIKE since 1972. Never again. I just ordered my first 2 pair of New Balance. One way or the other, I’ll never buy another NIKE product.
I have been buying New Balance shoes for about 40 years. The owner donates generously the youth of this country. For example, New Balance Stadium in Gloucester, MA was donated to Gloucester High School about 7 years ago. Gloucester is not a wealthy town and. NB’s donation was a godsend.
I started buying NB athletic shoes for my son when he was about 12 years old because it was the only sneaker made in a EEE width back around 1982. Twice a year we made the 25 mile trip to the NB factory in Allston//Brighton for new shoes.
We are NB fans for life.
I just got some NB from Zappos and ithey say made in China! I’m bummed!
It is easy to tell which are American made and the ones that are made in other countries. The American made are 178.00 and the ones made in other countries are 79.00. It is your choice which you choose, Americans get paid about $12.00 more an hour than other countries so the price reflects that. You pay for what you get. I prefer American made because the product is better and it keeps my fellow Americans working.
It is sad that shipping across the ocean and trucking fees don’t add up to the nearly $100 difference. How little does NB and American companies pay oversee’s workers. It is shameful.
Lve your shoes NB… please make sure you are ethically soyrced or USA/Canadian made.