Wolverine Rolls Out New Made-in-America Program for Work Boots as Tariffs Persist

As tariffs continue to weigh heavily on the footwear industry, Wolverine Worldwide’s namesake boot brand is leaning into made-in-America product.

But according to Mike Maloney, chief product officer for Wolverine Worldwide’s Work Group, the program was planned before President Trump took office for his second term and ramped up tariffs again.

“I started at Wolverine back in the fourth quarter and the plans for this program were already in the works,” Maloney told FN in an interview. “Making shoes in any new facility takes a long time, so we’ve been in development.”

And even though Wolverine may have planned ahead, this new program, which sees the brand working with a production facility in Texas to manufacture a range of work boots, still comes at a time when footwear manufacturers are looking for ways to skirt tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.

In fact, in the company’s first quarter 2025 earnings call in May, president and chief executive officer of Wolverine Worldwide Chris Hufnagel told analysts that he is “optimistic” amid the ongoing tariff dispute as the company has been working since the pandemic to diversify its sourcing.

Hufnagel noted that six years ago, nearly 40 percent of products sold in the U.S. by the company were sourced from China. This year, the company expects that to be just high single digits, primarily within its Work Group brands like its namesake line Wolverine boots.

“[In 2025], less than 10 percent of our products are now expected to be sourced from China, down from the mid-teens just earlier this year,” the CEO said at the time. “We’re targeting to push this down to near zero in 2026.”

And this new program, while small, still helps with that sourcing goal. The company’s first product to launch from its new partner facility in Texas is the Workshop Wedge boot. Debuting on Tuesday, the boot uses both domestic and globally sourced materials and features a Goodyear Welt construction that can be re-soled repeatedly, as well as a PU wedge sole for sturdiness and cushioning.

As for the price, Maloney told FN that the new USA-built shoe will retail for $249.95 and will be available exclusive in the brand’s direct-to-consumer channel. “Our price is in-line with similar USA-built products,” the executive said. “And if you were to compare it against another wedge-based program that isn’t made in America in our line, you’re talking around a $75 or sometimes $100 increase, which is fair.”

In addition to the USA-built Workshop Wedge, Maloney noted that this isn’t the brand’s first foray into made in America footwear as Wolverine’s signature 1000 Mile Collection is still handcrafted in Arkansas.

Looking ahead, Maloney expects to see other brands in the company’s Work Group portfolio to launch similar USA-built styles in the coming years. “There are several products from multiple brands in our portfolio on this USA build platform that we’re in testing moments right now to get it the line ready,” he said. “There are several inspections and safety standards you have to pass for work boots like these, so we are just making sure everything is aligned before we release. But more to come!”

This new project comes as the Rockford, Mich.-based footwear company said in May that total revenue in the first quarter of 2025 was $412.3 million, up 4.4 percent from $394.9 million the same time last year. Ongoing total revenue in Q1 – which excludes the results of the Sperry business, which was sold in January 2024 – was also $412.3 million, an increase of 5.5 percent from $390.8 million the prior year period.

Looking ahead, the company said it expects to see “continued momentum” as it moves into the second quarter. Revenue in Q2 is expected to be approximately $440 million to $450 million, representing growth of approximately 3.7 percent to 6.0 percent compared to the second quarter of 2024.