Domestic Footwear Center
A Walk in Our Shoes
Domesticfootwear.com was developed to help educate and connect U.S. footwear producers, as well as inform the American public and policymakers about the dynamics of the U.S. footwear industry.
This site is powered by the Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America (FDRA), the footwear industry's business and trade association.
Stats & Data
Source: US Government Data, FDRA Research and Surveys
25 Million
Pairs of shoes produced in America in 2022
218
Footwear Factories in the USA
$104.6 Billion
Annual U.S. Consumer Spending on Footwear in 2022
~278,000
Total Footwear Workers Across America
11,306
Total U.S. Footwear Factory Workers
55%
of U.S. footwear factories have less than 10 workers
please contact FDRA if you have questions on this data
Factory Stories
Listen or read with us to explore innovations reshaping footwear manufacturing, as well as companies and innovators with compelling stories and belief in domestic production.
CEO of Lee & Barrett on Hand-Crafted American Shoes:
There’s a quiet shoe making revolution taking place in NYC and its lead revolutionary, Brandon Cohn. Brandon, CEO of Lee & Barrett, joins Shoe-In to share Lee & Barrett dynamic story and explain why he sees the dawn of a new footwear Americana. Listen to our discussion on how made in America means greater speed and style.
Resources
It's easy to get educated and involved!
Footwear Reports
FDRA produces key industry data and reports to help companies
Visit FDRA.org for retail and industry trends and reports. We also encourage you to listen to Shoe-In Show for industry insights. Lastly, if you have a question about domestic production or are looking for specific data, please contact us we may be able to help.
Training and Education
There are a number of workshops, webinars, and events you can attend
From workshops on materials, design, and development innovation to webinars on products and services to the industry - FDRA provides a wide arrange of educational and networking programs for those looking to continue their footwear education. Learn more here.
Council
FDRA has established the U.S. Domestic Footwear Producers Council to advise it on policy issues impacting the domestic industry from taxes to regulations, as well as tariff reduction initiatives on material imports, etc. It also informs and directs FDRA to develop reports and programs to help the domestic industry thrive and succeed.
This council is THE main representation of the domestic industry in America. The council includes major producers of footwear in America like Red Wing, Elan Polo, H.H. Brown, Danner, and Keen Footwear.
Founded in 1944, the Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America (“FDRA”) is governed and directed by footwear executives and is the only trade organization focused solely on the footwear industry. FDRA members range from small family-owned footwear businesses to multinational footwear companies. Members include the majority of U.S. footwear manufacturers, brands, retailers and importers. In all, FDRA supports nearly 500 companies and brands worldwide, representing 95% of total U.S. footwear sales, making it by far the largest and most respected American footwear trade and business association. Learn more about how FDRA supports the industry.
© 2023 FDRA