The Making of an American Icon – L.L.Bean Boots
For over 100 years, we’ve been making our iconic L.L.Bean Boots right here in Maine. They’ve been featured in newspapers and magazines, worn by athletes and celebrities, and inspired a legion of imitators. Yet behind the scenes, a group of people work tirelessly to make sure each pair of boots we sell lives up to the highest standards of quality.
They are the L.L.Bean Boot Stitchers.
Our stitchers are a tight group. They’re a family, not just coworkers. We have third generation craftsmen and -women, husband-and-wife teams, even some friendly sibling rivalries as brothers and sisters try to outdo each other. At our Brunswick, Maine, manufacturing facility, you’ll find some of the most experienced workers at L.L.Bean, with more 25- to 30-year veterans than in any other part of the company. There’s a reason our stitchers have been here so long — they love what they do.
It’s not easy to become a skilled stitcher. Just getting started can take up to four months, and it can be years before you are up to speed on all the different variations of boots. These folks truly are expert craftspeople, and their skill is evident in every pair of boots they make.
They craft every boot as if it is their own. From the first boot of the day to the last one on a Friday afternoon, each pair is treated with care to make sure your feet will stay comfortable, whether you’re walking the dog on a slushy sidewalk or bird hunting on a muddy tote road.