INSIDE OUR USA FACTORY

"We are going to give you boots that you can be proud to wear, boots that can claim the best quality available anywhere."

- Bill Danner, 1978

Since the 1930’s, we've been making dependable boots in the Pacific Northwest for explorers, craftspeople, and pioneers.

Our Portland, Oregon factory is deeply rooted in the traditions of American craftsmanship and an unwavering commitment to quality.

We hand-inspect 100% of the hides used in our Portland factory — far exceeding the industry average.

A factory worker moves a large brown leather hide onto a table for inspection

Every hide must pass our five-point leather inspection process before it moves into production.

A boot maker uses a white pencil to mark imperfections on a large brown leather hide

1. LASTOMETER TEST

Determines if the hide can withstand the tension that occurs during construction.

A worker measures the strength of a brown leather hide with a handheld Lastometer tool

2. THICKNESS TEST

Checks for consistent thickness across our full-grain hides. Uneven hides can become problematic during construction and wear.

A worker measues the thickness of a brown leather hide with a handheld tool fitted with a circular gauge, moving the tool over various parts of the hide and flicking the lever

3. SOFTNESS TEST

Leather must not be too stiff — which can lead to discomfort and noise during wear — nor too soft, which can cause lack of structure.

A worker positions a softness testing tool over a brown leather hide. The worker presses the lever of the tool down onto the hide, and the machine extends a metal head down into the leather to perform its measurement

4. COLOR & FINISH TEST

Color must be consistent and fully saturate the leather. Hides are also tested for durability of the finish, tone and brightness.

A worker uses a small metal tool with a serrated blade on to gently score a black leather hide. Then, he presses a piece of clear tape over the marked area and pulls it up, inspecting the tape briefly.

5. STRENGTH TEST

Ensures the leather won’t tear when stretched during construction, and that it will stand up to the rigors of use for years to come.

A worker inserts the hooked end of a handheld T-shaped tool into a small cut near the edge of a brown leather hide and pulls it towards themselves, stretching the leather under tension

GORE-TEX is recognized worldwide as the pioneer and leading innovator of breathable waterproofing technology.

Zooms to the bottom left corner of the grid of items, focusing on the black footbeds with white Danner logos. One is the full length of a foot, the other is a heel-shaped insert.

We became the first footwear company to utilize GORE-TEX liners in our Danner Light in 1979.

GORE-TEX technology combines durable waterproofing with excellent breathability.

This guarantees your feet stay dry and comfortable, even in heavy rain or water crossings.

We’re one of the few manufacturers in the world to utilize “around the world” construction, meaning we use a single taped seam for the entire GORE-TEX liner. Fewer seams means fewer possible failure points.

A worker uses a machine with a clear shield to apply seam tape around the sewed edge of a white boot liner. They pause to straighten the liner and ensure it’s lined up properly. When done, they flatten the liner on the table surface using their hands.

GORE-TEX liners are tested to ensure they are 100% waterproof.

If the tester sees bubbles, the liner has failed and will be rejected.

A machine lowers two white, air-filled boot liners into a tank of water and pauses briefly when they’re fully submerged. Small bubbles are visible around the boot liner. The machine raises them back up and out of the water. A worker grabs the liners to release them from the machine

The Danner logo symbolizes the highest standards for quality and durability.

A machine with a large, flat base stamps down on a piece of dark leather, pauses, and raises up, leaving an embossed Danner logo behind

Once leather and fabric are cut, we use stitching machines to sew flat pattern pieces together. This guarantees consistency and ensures quality as the materials enter construction.

An automated machine stitches along the edge of rectangular cutouts in a metal template, sewing flat pieces of leather and fabric together.

Hardware such as eyelets, rivet hooks and vents are stamped through.

A bootmaker installs lacing hooks into a shaped piece of leather using an orange stamping machine. Then, video cuts to another boot maker using a blue stamping machine to install d-ring eyelets on a cut piece of light tan leather.

Raw materials have now been prepared for construction. Next, they will be formed into a complete boot silhouette — known as the boot's “upper” — through a series of hand-sewing processes.

A worker sews the edge of a brown leather boot piece that has hardware installed. The worker uses a large, white sewing machine with careful precision.

Toe-lasting machines stretch the leather upper over a last, forming the components into their iconic boot form.

A brown leather boot upper fitted with hardware and laces is stretched over a last and tightly held on the sides and top by a large metal machine.

Next, a shank is added. Constructed from metal or fiberglass, the shank acts like the spine of the boot, helping to support your instep and provide stability.

A flat fiberglass rectangle known as the "shank" is held in place by a worker’s thumb in the middle bottom of a boot’s white midsole. At the edges, the black leather of the boot’s upper are visible.

Contact cement is applied and the upper is carefully “spotted,” or bonded, to the midsole.

A boot maker uses a handheld tool with a dull point to pound around the edge of a leather boot upper, attaching it to the midsole. The worker rotates the boot as they pound along the entire perimeter.

With stitchdown construction, leather uppers are sewn directly to the midsole with a lockstitch.

A boot maker guides the edge of an upside-down brown leather boot through a robust machine that sews a thick white stitch to reinforce the bonding of the boot upper to the black midsole

This construction method results in an incredibly durable boot that stands up to heavy use and can be rebuilt when components wear out.

Our Portland factory is one of the leading manufacturers of stitchdown boots in the world.

Next, securely stitched boot uppers are heat activated to prepare for bonding to the outsole.

A brown leather boot with the Danner logo embossed on the heel rests on a metal grate and is bottom-lit by the heating elements, casting a dramatic red glow up the boot.

A pneumatic press attaches the boot’s outsole to the assembled upper and midsole with a high-strength adhesive.

A bootmaker carefully lines up a thick, black outsole to the upper of a boot, pressing along the permiter before placing upside-down in a large machine. The machine door closes, pauses and opens again, and the boot maker removes the boot with the outsole now attached.

In the final step of construction, excess material is trimmed from the outsole using the Rough Rounder.

A bootmaker presses the rough, oversized edge of a boot outsole around a flat cone shaped circular cutting wheel that shaves off excess outsole material.

The boot is now nearly complete and ready for finishing and inspection.

The final sanding of the outsole is done by hand to create a consistent margin and smooth finish. A steady hand and a keen eye for detail are a must.

A bootmaker, wearing gloves, runs the perimeter of a boot outsole along a stationary belt sander

The construction process is now complete and the boots make their way to final inspection.

An inspector grabs two pairs of boots from a roller-bar conveyor.

Every boot is individually checked for quality before packaging.

Close-up view of a brown leather boot with a Danner logo embossed on the heel, a white outsole, and a USA flag stitched near the top left side of the heel.

Finally, each pair is wrapped and packaged with care — ready for adventure, exploration and hard work.

A boot maker wearing green latex gloves weaves a flat red lace through silver d-ring eyelets of a brown leather boot, ties it at the top in a bow, places it in a green Danner box with tissue paper on the inside, and closes the box