What do you think of when you hear “American-made footwear”? Do you think of boots? Dress shoes? Moccasins? Do you think, “Who is out here just yelling menswear buzzwords?” Sneakers were made, once upon a time, in the US of A, and, while there are a few brands sustaining that sector, even fewer are offering premium American-made sneakers that are also resoleable. Standard Fair is walking that less-traveled path with their Sport Camp sneakers.
Utilizing Maine’s deep history of shoemaking, Standard Fair’s sneakers are made in one of the oldest shoe factories there is. The design for the Sport Camp is inspired by American and German classics, one of which are German military sneakers from the 1970s and 1980s that have now become canonized into the classic sneaker repertoire. But, instead of the usual cheap top grain leather you’re used to seeing, they’ve elevated the shoe to the upper echelons, incorporating full-grain veg-tanned leather from Italy for the uppers and lined with Horween leather.
To top it off, the bottoms are made with rubber camp soles made by one of the last-remaining suppliers of traditional camp soles and attached via a fully resoleable Blake stitch construction. If you’re skeptical, which is totally understandable, Standard Fair will even call you out on your dubiousness and offer a free resole for everyone who backs their Kickstarter.
They’re currently offering two color options, Honey, and Chestnut. If their funding reaches $40,000, though, they’ll be able to release an all-black colorway. But their Kickstarter ends April 26, so hop on a pair while you can.
