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New Balance producing shoes in the US is a big deal. I mean, think about that for a second. Where other brands outsource much of their production overseas, New Balance produces a large portion of their inventory right here in the US. And it’s still affordable. That’s no easy feat. In fact, it’s essentially the reason why just about every other brand doesn’t do the exact same thing.
In 2015 alone, New Balance plans to produce around 4 million pairs of sneakers stateside. What’s more, after recently announcing updates to their budding customization platform, NB1, the brand is offering yet another service many of its competitors can’t – producing custom sneakers that are available for next day delivery. New Balance is all alone in this space. Now, that’s not to say other brands can’t and don’t do custom sneakers exceptionally well, but no one can turn them around as fast, and with personalized embroidery on the back of each shoe.
New Balance is gaining footing in the ever competitive $55 billion-dollar sneaker business. With placement on revered sneakerhead Mark Walhberg in his upcoming film Ted 2, and recently in Gone Girl on Ben Affleck, their reach is expanding deeper into pop culture where brands like Nike and adidas already exist. There was also yesterday’s collaboration with Hasbro’s G.I. Joe, and we’d be remiss if we failed to mention their placement on the feet of literally hundreds of MLB athletes including Evan Longoria, Miguel Cabrera and others.
New Balance certainly isn’t new to this sneaker thing. But they are learning how to play the game a little better by using the uniqueness of their company to their advantage. The second half of 2015 should be big for New Balance. And we’ll all be watching to see just how far they venture forward.
Source: CNBC
