Leatherman is a household name when it comes to multitools. They were founded in 1983 by Tim Leatherman and Steve Berliner, who saw a hole in the market for an easily portable and durable multitool. That same year, the duo launched their first product – the Pocket Survival Tool (PST) and the rest is history. They are headquartered in Portland, Oregon, the same city that Gerber Gear and a bunch of other outdoor brands call home. They now produce over 50 products sold in 82 countries (about 55% of that in the U.S.), but is all their manufacturing still here? We investigated to find out.
Verdict: Are Leatherman Tools Made in the USA?
Yes, most of Leatherman’s tools are still made in the USA. However, not every single part of their popular multitool is sourced from U.S. materials. 5 of the 30 total parts that typically make up their multitool are sourced internationally, according to the filings from a 2006 lawsuit that was brought against them, accusing Leatherman of false advertising “made in the USA” messaging. These parts include:
- Files – Europe
- Corkscrews – Europe
- Plier jaws – Mexico
- Two small fastening components – Unknown
The lawsuit ended favorably for Leatherman, as federal courts ruled that since 83% of their components (the base requirement is 70%) are American sourced, they qualify as “made in the USA.” This ruling is no surprise to us – tons of companies have had similar lawsuits in the past that resulted in the same outcome.
While a small fraction of its components are sourced internationally, Leatherman continues to get most of its materials from the U.S. and does all of its manufacturing and assembly in its Portland, OR, factory. For its multitools specifically, we couldn’t find any products produced differently (i.e., overseas), which gives us confidence in the authenticity of its product lineup.
Popular American Made Leatherman Tools
- Raptor Shears (6 tools)
- Wave Multi-Tool (18 tools)
- Surge Multi-Tool (21 tools)
- Leap Kid’s Multi-Tool (13 tools)
- Juice C2 (12 tools)
- Wingman Multi-Tool (14 tools)
Popular Leatherman Tools Not Made in the USA
- Just a small fraction of components in their multitool, as outlined above
More American Made Options
More Investigations
- Are Buck Knives Made in the USA?
- Are Gerber Knives Made in the USA?
- Are Benchmade Knives Made in the USA?
- Are Case Knives Made in the USA?
- Are Spyderco Pocket Knives Made in the USA?
- Are Kershaw Pocket Knives Made in the USA?
- Are Tekton Tools Made in the USA?
- Are Columbia River Knife & Tool Products Made in the USA?
