PF Flyers was once known to make some great shoes right here in America, but I was curious if they, like many other companies, had shifted their manufacturing overseas. I decided to reach out to the company and in the rest of this article, I’ll be sharing what their customer support told me, and we’ll also cover other interesting information about the company.
PF Flyers shoes are made in Asia. The company used to have a made-in-USA collection that was made in Boston, Massachusetts, but they no longer offer this. The company says they hope to offer shoes made in America in the future.
Disappointed That PF Flyers Aren’t American Made? Let’s Talk Alternatives
It’s disappointing that the PF Flyers no longer offers their made-in-USA collection. I actually emailed their customer support staff to verify this. One option is to look on websites like eBay to see if you can find some shoes they used to make in the USA. That said, if don’t want to go that route and you’re still looking to support companies making their products in the USA, there are still some great companies to support. Some of these companies actually offer shoes that look similar to PF Flyers. If you’re interested, we actually have a full article on our favorite Shoes made in the USA here that you can check out if you want to see some great alternatives.
Who Owns PF Flyers?
Kassia Davis, who happens to be the daughter of New Balance Chairman Jim Davis, and who I might add has grown up in the shoe and fashion industry, stepped in to save the brand and purchased it from New Balance in July 2021, and is now running the brand under Kassia Davis LLC.
Kassia is no stranger to the industry and has set her sights on not only keeping the tradition of PF Flyers alive but adjusting it to the sustainable lifestyle of the modern consumer. She currently has been successfully running her own women’s lifestyle brand under KADA and focuses on keeping products and manufacturing both positive experiences for the consumer and the environment.
She knows what the current customer is looking for, and unlike in times past, it is not just for a good-looking pair of sneakers. There is much more focus put into not only how and where the actual style is made but also on the treatment of employees and ethical practices of the company overall.
A look through the styles in her clothing line shows that they are made in the USA with Portuguese materials, shows which is an important part of her business plan and gives us hope that the PF Flyers brand will be manufactured here in the United States as well.
Add in the fact that she has family roots and personal experience in the New Balance brand that has five manufacturing facilities in Maine and Massachusetts gives her even more proof that shoes can be made here in the United States successfully.
From what I can find, she is very focused on creating the best products with durable and sustainable materials while also paying close attention to environmental impact, and producing styles in the United States would definitely cut down on the company’s carbon footprint.
The styles that are said to be brought in at the beginning of this process are the traditional Center Hi, Center Lo, and Sandlot styles, with the goal of launching new styles by 2022. However, the goal was also to have some production started by the Fall of 2021, and by the time winter came, the waitlist was still being filled up with anticipation.
There are many factors that are playing into this delay and supply chain shortages that have affected basically every single part of the lives of not only Americans but those all over the world. I’m sure the new company owner is just as antsy to get things rolling as those who are signed up waiting for their inbox to “ding” with the arrival of the revived, classic products.
Almost at the end of 2021, the website stated that they were in the process of being “reborn” and urging customers to please sign up for the e-mail list so that they’d know when the brand would make its appearance under their new female leader. 2022 marks a new beginning for this beloved American brand, and I am very interested to see what someone with knowledge of the past and new ideas for the future can bring to such an iconic brand.
If you’re curious about what their new image under Kassia Davis looks like, you can check out PF Flyers’ re-vamped website here.
More Info About the PF Flyers Company
The namesake of the company is actually named after a technology they discovered instead of the name of the founder, which is a bit different from many other shoe companies in the market.
The “Posture Foundation” insole that was developed and designed by Hyman L. Whitman created a unique experience for the foot, which was revolutionary at the time by shifting the weight of your body to the outside of the foot giving you a more proper alignment without having to have custom-made orthotics.
In 1944 the company introduced its Center-Hi sneaker to the American market, and it has remained a part of its core line-up throughout its story. This classic rubber-soled sneaker doesn’t seem to ever go out of style and can be dressed up or dressed down, especially in today’s more casual-leaning society.
1958 brought another high-risk chance taken by the brand when they became the first shoe brand to partner with an All-Star athlete in Bob Cousy of the Boston Celtics. This was apparently a risk worth taking as the company sold over 14 million pairs of PF Flyers in that year alone.
The company calls the years between 1975-2000 the “Dark Years,” as they were overshadowed by many avenues of mismanagement, failed leadership, and the inability to adapt to new trends and brands such as Converse and Keds.
The one silver lining year throughout this time period was 1993, when they were able to have a brief spotlight in the public eye again when their styles were featured in the now-classic movie “The Sandlot” and gave them a small boost in popularity.
2001 brought about another change in management for the brand when they were purchased by sneaker and athletic wear powerhouse New Balance. PF Flyers were known for being manufactured in the United States throughout their history and although New Balance had many of the styles made overseas when they had the brand they did make an effort to keep some of that heritage alive by creating specific “Made In the USA” models.
Learn more about the history of the PF Flyers Grounder
In January 2021, New Balance announced that they would be phasing out the PF Flyers brand. This would not be the end of their story, though.
Wrap Up:
That does it for this article. If you have any further questions about where PF Flyers are made, let us know in the comments below. We really believe that his company could start making shoes again, and it’s encouraging that when I messaged their customer support they said this is something they’re definitely looking into. Keep in mind that if you really want shoes made in the USA and don’t like any alternatives, you can still find some of the older models on reseller websites.
Hi, my name is Kevin and I’m from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Choosing products made in America is important to me because it supports local economies, creates jobs, helps the environment, and ensures ethical labor practices. I also find that American made products are usually of higher quality so although they’re a little more expensive, you save money in the long run. Before starting this website I was in the USMC infantry and nowadays I work on this website as a hobby.
PF Flyers just doesn’t seem to be as quality as they used to be. So sad that they turned their back on American manufacturing.
Hey Anthony I agree. I wish they were still making some of their shoes in Massachusetts, or anywhere in America for that matter. There are lots of good alternatives, though.