Some major manufacturers are no longer making their boots in America (more on that below), so we set out to find cowboy boots that are still made in the USA. Below is our research, including our entire list of findings, and tons of details about these USA-made cowboy boots.
Complete List of Cowboy Boot Brands Made in the USA
Abilene is one of the few larger American cowboy boot companies still around today and has been producing quality boots for more than 30 years. The company offers a few different lines of boots, but all are made with full-grain leather that’s thick, tough, and built to last when cared for properly. These Abilene boots feature rubber or composite outsoles for maximum gripping power and they are cushioned on the inside for comfort. The boots also often feature a Dri-Lex internal liner to keep your feet dry and comfortable during use – ideal for when you’re working outdoors. We talk about Abilene boots in our YouTube video on how to find shoes made in the USA, so be sure to check that out too.
Finding tough and reliable handmade boots isn’t a simple task, but Lucchese Boots are made to stand up to tough scrutiny. These boots are constructed from a range of exotic materials, as well as standard cow leather. It’s possible to get alligator boots, lizard boots, and a range of different leathers when buying through Lucchese. All of the boots offered are handmade and go through a careful process to maintain the highest level of strength and durability at the end of the build. Lucchese boots all pretty much rely on a durable single-stitch welt construction for tough quality and easy maintenance. The boots can be resoled in the future if necessary. Lucchese relies on old-fashioned construction tools such as lemonwood pegs for long-lasting strength that more modern boots don’t offer. They aren’t cheap boots by any means, are built to be worth the money when chosen with care.
Anderson Bean has been around for almost 30 years and is making boots out of their facility in Mercedes, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley. AB is very transparent about its suppliers on its site, making it more comforting knowing you’re getting American-made cowboy boots. Anderson Bean has a ton of boot styles to choose from for men, women, and kids. They are a little expensive but are made to last for years to come.
All American Clothing Co. is a great retailer that partners with a lot of great American made cowboy boot manufacturers. They are typically pretty affordable, too. Check their website for the latest inventory.
Double-H specializes in booths that can be worn for both work and leisure. They make a variety of western boots made in the USA, of course. But only a few styles of Double-H’s boots are made in the USA, so be sure to be aware of this when shopping on their site. Thankfully, their site makes it easy, as you simply need to navigate to the Domestic section found under the Men’s and Women’s tabs. It’s also worth noting that these made in the USA boots are made with foreign materials.
Caboots, or Champion Altitude Boots, is a family-owned company operating since 1928. They offer durable, handmade boots that are custom fitted and designed to meet exact standards. There are many different customization options available. Though the Caboots offerings aren’t made with the same material every time, they aim to provide a high-quality level in most of their selection. Most of the Caboots lineup is made with mule hide and built to withstand many years of heavy use. When purchasing boots through Caboots, you’ll need to specify the: width, height, toe size, heel size, scallop type, sole type, top color, vamp type, and more. In the end, you’ll end up with a pair of boots handcrafted to your exact specifications. With all that customization comes a cost – they can be expensive and should be purchased carefully to ensure you get the best value for your money.
Beck Cowboy Boots are handmade in Amarillo, Texas, the old-fashioned way. All their boots are made with a forty-penny nail shank and built to last. These folks are expert craftsmen when it comes to boots. Their boots are made to be durable enough to be a pair of working western boots that won’t fail you on the job. Beck Boots has some set styles and can make you a custom pair of boots.
Established in 1945 by a saddlemaker, there was a need at the time for a good sturdy boot for working cowboys. Wilson Boots were the first to introduce the spur shelf on their boots, which many other businesses have since used. Though the company has changed hands a few times, they’re still committed to making quality cowboy boots.
Babione’s Wilson Boots come in a variety of styles and for a variety of purposes. Generally, their boots tend to be made out of 51.2 oz. outer leather, a 31.2 oz. leather lining and a 9-iron insole. You can get a full leather welt or half welt, meaning the stitching ends where the arch sets in; this lightens the boots and also offers a classier look. They have a steel shank built above and below with leather strips to help prevent the shank from breaking. There are also pull holes, making getting your boots on and off easier. They have a leather heel counter, stacked leather heel base, and continue to offer a spur shelf too. The arches are wooden pegged, or there’s an option to go with a neoprene sole. Babione’s offers re-soling and re-heeling on their boots which can be done many times over. Their boots are made to last between 8-12 years, but some of their customers have had them for over 30 years.
J.B. Hill Boot Company, based in Texas, is committed to hand-making custom cowboy boots. They have a team of experienced craftsmen who use the highest grade of leather for their products.
J.B Hill Boot Company uses a minimum of thirty-six lemon wood pegs per side on their boots, this help to lock the insole and outsole together, preventing the steel shank from twisting. They use extra length on the welt of the boot to ensure it never breaks free. They then cement and nail the stacked leather heels to provide solid boot integrity. Finally, there’s an option to get engraved sterling silver conchos inlaid and stitched to the leather pull straps if you wanted it. You can have these engraved with initials, symbols, or logos.
J.L Mercer Boot Company has been handmaking custom cowboy boots in San Angelo, Texas, since 1923. They have created boots for some huge names, such as Lyndon B. Johnson, Billy Ray Cyrus, John Wayne, Bill Elliott, and Charlie Daniels.
They have a photo gallery on their site of boots made for other customers, but because everything is handmade to order, you really need to give them a call or see them in person to get a better idea of what kind of boot they can create you and how much that’s going to cost.
These cowboy boots are more than just about boots; they’re also about a lifestyle. Created in Texas by Kat Mendenhall, a vegan activist and designer, Kat made it her mission to create vegan cowboy boots and other non-leather accessories. After learning about the mistreatment of animals for their skin and the toxic chemicals used to preserve leather, which can endanger workers and the environment, she wanted to change things up.
Kat Mendenhall handcrafts vegan cowboy boots for both men and women. These cruelty-free boots use only USA-sourced materials and are hand lasted and stitched one at a time by a skilled bootmaker. The boots are made from breathable, sustainable proprietary microfibre construction that is water-resistant and stain-resistant. You also have the choice of heel heights and toe shape options. In its cowboy boots range, Kat Mendenhall sells a range of low and high styles that are quite subtle and classic in design, using more traditional colors. However, there is an option to customize your own boots with your own design too. Kat Mendenhall also offers cut-outs, embroidery, inlays, and steel-toed boots as well.
Mike’s YouTube Video on American Made Cowboy Boots
How to Find Cowboy Boots Made in the USA
We don’t just want to provide a wide selection of cowboy boots made in the United States; we also want to give you the knowledge you need to study products on your own and make wise decisions when you go shopping. Below, we’ll go into the cowboy boot manufacturing sector and examine topics including labeling, material sourcing, and methods for locating premium American made cowboy boot companies. Let’s begin by deciphering the nuances of “made in the USA” terminology and learning how to successfully traverse this area.
What Does “Made in the USA” Mean?
Before diving into how to find cowboy boots made in the USA, you will need to understand what it means for something to be “made in the USA.” The “made in the USA” label is protected by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). According to the FTC, a product can use this label only if “all or virtually all” of the product is made in the USA. In essence, this means that the labeled product must be sourced and manufactured in the United States to legally use this label.
However, it is worth noting that there can be a lot of gray areas when it comes to this label, so proper individual research is required to ensure a product is truly “made in the USA.”
If you’d like to learn more about this, check out our article on how to spot made in the USA.
Materials
To really understand whether a pair of cowboy boots are made in the USA, a good place to start research is to look at the materials used. Of course, if you’re looking at buying a good quality pair of cowboy boots, you’re looking at nothing other than leather.
Leather is used in different parts of the cowboy boot. But if you are looking at quality, you should look at the insole. Specifically, you should look for insoles that are made with leather. Cheaper boots made overseas will generally use a cheaper material like fiberboard.
You should also take a look at the welt material. The welt is the strip of material sewn around the perimeter of a shoe sole and upper to attach them together. Cheaper boots made overseas will often use plastic. However, a quality cowboy boot will also use leather for the welt. Having leather will also ensure that your cowboy boots last longer.
Finally, look for leather in the heel of the boot. Often, overseas manufacturers will use plastic to cut down on costs. Check the heel for stacked leather to single out a quality pair of cowboy boots.
The quality of the leather itself should be looked at as well when looking for a great pair of American-made cowboy boots. You should be looking specifically for full-grain leather as opposed to genuine leather.
The United States is a major manufacturer of high-quality leather. However, remember that good leather can also be sourced in countries like Italy, whereas cheaper leather can be found in manufacturing hub countries like China.
The United States manufactures a lot of cowhide leather, but more exotic leathers may be sourced elsewhere. So, unfortunately, it can be difficult to find a pair of boots 100% made in the USA.
As leather can be sourced from other countries, it is also important to look at the labeling.
Labeling
Understanding where the raw materials are sourced is a great place to start, but you need to look further to determine whether or not a pair of cowboy boots is “made in the USA.” By law, products in the United States need to be honestly labeled. This means that the label should clearly state where the products are made.
As the “made in the USA” label is policed by the FTC, many companies try to use different wordings in their labeling to trick customers into thinking a product is made in the USA. Look out for words like “manufactured,” “designed,” or phrases like “made in America.” Although these words may seem synonymous with “made in the USA” at first glance, they are not.
It is also worth mentioning that although companies are required to label where their products are made, this is not the case for online or promotional materials. As a general rule, if a company does not mention whether or not its product is made in the USA, err on the side of caution. If a product is genuinely made in the USA, this is a fact worth advertising for companies, so they’re not likely to hide it.
On the flip side, if a company loudly and proudly announces in their online and promotional materials that their products are genuinely U.S.-made, it’s a great sign that you’ve found a product that is “made in the USA.”
Now when it comes to the “made in the USA” label, although the FTC has guidelines, in reality, they do a pretty terrible job policing the label. The FTC does not require pre-approval to use this label, so it’s the company’s discretion to use it on its products. So, even if a product is labeled “made in the USA,” it is worth doing some additional research to double-check if a product is truly made on U.S. soil.
Other Tips
Besides research on the raw materials and the labeling of the product, here are a couple of our other top tips to find cowboy boots made in the USA.
Be Wary of American Flag Stickers
An American flag sticker or symbol on a product does not automatically mean the product is made in the United States. These sticks and symbols are not regulated at all, so take them with a grain of salt.
Call the Company
If, after research, you are still unsure of where a company’s product is sourced and manufactured, give the company a call! This may seem like a very simple and old-fashioned solution, but it will do the trick. Even the customer service team will generally be knowledgeable enough to answer the question: “Where are your cowboy boots made?”
Cowboy Boots Not Made in the USA
Here are some of the most popular cowboy boot brands not made in the USA. Most notably, not all of the brands under Justin Boots and Ariat are made in the USA. We dug in to find out exactly which ones are and are not and outlined our findings in this Justin Boots and Ariat Boots guide. Other brands:
- Ariat – mostly made in Mexico, China, and Italy
- Corral Boots – made in Mexico
- Durango Boots – made in China
- Espinoza Boot Maker – most leather sourced overseas
- Frye – most leather sourced overseas
- Justin – only select styles are made in the USA, but with global materials
- Olsen- Stelzer – most leather sourced overseas
- Tecovas – made in Mexico
