Where Are Vans Shoes Made? 2023 Info

Where are Vans shoes made and manufactured currently? If you are buying a new pair of Vans shoes you may want to know a little more about the company before you make your purchase.

Here is some of the very latest information about the Vans Footwear brand, its supply chain, manufacturing process and distribution.

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What Are Vans Shoes?

Vans Shoes is an Iconic brand of footwear that is made and manufactured for skateboarding and casual wear. Whilst Vans shoes can be worn by all ages the target market for the brand is in the younger age bracket of 16 to 30 years old.

Vans shoes are relatively distinctive and tend to have a canvas or leather upper and a rubber sole. They have some incredibly popular signature brand styles such as their checkerboard slip ons which are hugely popular however they also make limited edition prints for their footwear.

Vans stores can be found worldwide and the brand has also branched out into clothes and apparel.

Currently, Vans make in the region of 70 to 85 million pairs of shoes each year.

When Did Vans Shoes Come Out?

The Vans shoe brand was started in Anaheim California in 1966. The founders of the brand were Paul and Jim Van Doren whose original name for the footwear was made using the name the Van Doren Rubber Company.

The original designs of their shoes were sold for as little as a few dollars and the operation was small but over time their name grew and became increasingly popular.

In 1982 the brand’s checkboard slip-on shoes were featured in the film Fast Times at Ridgemont High making the footwear instantly recognizable and sought after. However, the popularity of the shoes was nearly its downfall as cheap imitations flooded the market.

In addition, Vans found that it had over-expanded its product lines which impacted its resources and created debt. So in 1984 Vans ended up filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

In 1988 the brand was sold to a bank, McCown De Leeuw & Co for 74.4 million dollars.

In the following years, many of the counterfeiting operations that had been selling the fake Van shoes were closed down making the product more scarce which enabled the company to become the well-known sought-after brand it is today.

In 2004 the Vans brand merged with the VF Corporation which is the current owner of the company.

Who Makes Vans Shoes?

Currently, the Vans shoe brand is owned by the VF Corporation.

The VF Corporation owns some other major apparel and footwear brands include The North Face, Timberland, Jansport, Altra, Eastpak, Kipling and Dickies.

This makes them one of the largest footwear, accessories and apparel companies in the world.

The current headquarters for Vans shoes is:

1588 South Coast Drive

Costa Mesa,

CA 92626

Whilst the world corporate headquarters for the VF Corporation is:

1551 Wewatta St.

Denver,

CO 80202

Are Vans Made In The USA?

Where are Vans Shoes Made? Well, Vans make a proportion of its footwear in the United States but also operates manufacturing facilities in Mexico, Eastern Europe, and Asia (China, Cambodia, and Vietnam).

Whilst Southern California is where the company’s heart is much of their manufacturing is based in other countries. This is primarily due to the costs of raw materials and labor. Textile plants in places such as Asia have a considerably cheaper manufacturing process than in the United States allowing the company to make Vans Shoes at a better price than in America or Europe.

Where Are Vans Shoes Made and Manufactured?

Whilst Vans were originally made and manufactured in Anaheim times have changed. To make the shoes economically the brand started to use manufacturing plants in Asia and in other parts of the world in the early 1990’s.

As with any complex operation parts of the shoes are made in different factories located worldwide.

As an example, a large supplier for the rubber for the outsole and heel section of the shoes is based in Taiwan. The supplier for the adhesive that holds the shoe together is based in Vietnam whilst a portion of the cotton for the shoes is grown in India.

The designs and fabric for the shoes are supplied in China whilst they have a very large manufacturing plant that puts all the pieces together in Cambodia.

Shipping and Distribution

When the shoes have been manufactured in places such as Cambodia the shoes are then shipped to the Vans main distribution center. This distribution center is based at:

15700 Shoemaker Ave,

Santa Fe Springs,

CA 90670,

United States

Ethical Considerations

Vans take their commitment to ethical sourcing incredibly seriously which is why they only work with suppliers who are committed to safe working conditions.

They have an ethical sourcing policy and as part of this, they directly prohibit the use of child labor and human trafficking. All suppliers must agree to this policy before they are allowed to work with the Vans brand.

This means that Vans are not made in sweatshops.

What Material Are Vans Made Of?

As Vans shoes use vulcanized rubber which requires a high heat the uppers tend to be primarily made from canvas or suede because they are able to withstand the high heat required during the manufacturing process.

Their canvas skate shoes are never dull however as the designs that are used make the shoes stand out in the market. Whilst the checkboard design is one of their most famous sneakers they also have a huge range of unique styles made in different colors and patterns. Some of these designs are clearly made to make you stand out from the crowd when you are wearing them.

These are some of their most popular shoes:

Vans Unisex Old Skool Classic Skate Shoes

The Old Skool shoes originally came out in 1977 and have been incredibly popular since. The design for these was originally made from a doodle made by Paul Van Doren.

These have canvas uppers, waffle rubber outsoles and a padded collar for support.

Vans Unisex Classic Slip-On Shoes

The classic slip-on design is another huge seller and is an easy on easy off shoe that is great for casual wear.

This design is a classic however Vans sells much more colorful designs if you are looking for something a little more individual.

Accessories and Apparel

Whilst Vans are primarily known as a shoe brand they have started to branch out into clothes and accessories.

You can now buy hats, t-shirts, belts and socks with the Vans brand on it. This has obviously helped the brand to grow its sales and expand its market.

More Information About Vans Shoes

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Vans or Converse For Walking?

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