Who doesn’t know Brooks shoes? Brooks has always been the favorite get-go shoe brand among runners for their stylish look, comfortable design, and high-quality materials.
The name Brooks has become synonymous with comfort and reliability, with many runners opting for Brooks shoes for their daily runs.
When talking about Brooks shoes, it definitely makes people curious about where they are made. I’m also curious as well.
Brooks manufactures most of its shoes in China and Vietnam. China once was the major Brooks manufacturer but due to the US-China trade war conflict which started in 2018, Brooks CEO Jim Weber moved most of their production from China to Vietnam. This resulted in 55% of Brooks shoes being manufactured in Vietnam while the rest in China and other third countries.
Aside from Vietnam and China, Brooks shoes are also manufactured on a large scale in Taiwan and El Salvador.
Brooks Shoe Manufacturer Countries
Brooks shoes are available in more than 60 countries. This requires huge manufacturing which isn’t possible in the USA due to high manufacturing costs.
For this reason, Brooks makes its shoes in other countries where manufacturing costs are low. This helps keep the price of the shoes low, making them more accessible to a wider range of customers.
The countries that make most of the Brooks shoes are:
- China
- Vietnam
- United States
- EI Salvador
- Taiwan
- Mexico
- Sri Lanka
- Philippines
- Jordan
Origin of Brooks
Brooks has a long history dating back more than 100 years, which began in 2014. John Brooks Goldenberg, the founder of Brooks, started it as a manufacturer of bathing shoes and ballet slippers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Back then, it was just a small factory that didn’t earn much credit for revolutionizing the ballet or bath shoe industry. But the story didn’t end there.
The brand originally got its name in 1920 when the Quaker Shoe company was re-branded as Brooks Shoe Manufacturing Inc.
Later in the mid-1920s, Brooks’ founder and other members decided to move into the mainstream sports industry. As they started to make sports shoes such as football and baseball cleats, it caught people’s attention.
It was a massive success when Brooks introduced its Natural Bend Arch Support technology for the first time ever. This technology quickly became popular among players, which helped the company gain a reputation for excellence.
During the 1930s-1940s Brooks became extremely popular for its extensive and growing lineup that also included ice skates, gym, bowling, soccer, boxing, and wrestling shoes.
History of Brooks Running Shoe
Everything changed in 1972 when Brooks shifted into the running shoe industry. It was because of 1972’s Olympic marathon in Munich where Frank Shorter won the gold medal as the first American ever.
After this event, running suddenly captured the world’s attention. As a result, instead of making anything that would keep the factory turning, Brooks started thinking about limiting its focus to the running shoe industry.
As the popularity of running continued to grow from the 1970s to the 2000s, Brooks became committed to manufacturing running shoes.
By introducing industry-use EVA to the world for the first time in 1977, Brooks hit the top of the market. This later replaced slow-rebounding rubber in midsoles.
Manufacturer countries by Category
Running Shoe
Taiwan and Salvador are the two countries where Brooks running shoes are made. Brooks running shoes are manufactured by Berkshire Hathaway in Taiwan and Salvador, using premium materials.
Athletic Shoe
Brooks athletic shoes are made in China, Vietnam, and other countries using premium materials. Brooks has ten manufacturing plants in Vietnam that produce athletic shoes.
Gym Shoe
Like its other products, Brooks gym shoes are made in China and Vietnam. As Gym shoes should have an attractive and stylish design, it is easier to make them in China and Vietnam with an aesthetic design due to the low manufacturing costs.
Walking Shoes
The walking shoes made by Brooks are manufactured in China, Vietnam, Salvador, and Taiwan. As far as the manufacture of Brooks walking shoes goes, Vietnam makes the majority of them.
Who Makes Brooks Shoes?
Brooks shoes are made by Brooks Running which is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, one of the top ten largest public companies in the world.
Each pair of Brooks shoes is generally made by a number of third-party manufacturers. However, Asian countries manufacture the majority of Brooks shoes.
Owner of Brooks
Brooks Shoes are owned by Berkshire Hathaway, an American multinational conglomerate holding company.
Brooks was acquired by Russell Athletic in 2004. Later in 2006, Russell Athletic was purchased by Fruit of the Loom and Brooks became a subsidiary of Fruit of the Loom’s parent company, Berkshire Hathaway.
Since 2011, Brooks has been an independent subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway.
According to Brooks Running’s sales revenue report for 2021, Berkshire Hathaway made an annual profit of 1.1 Billion dollars from Brooks.