Yahoo Finance

From heel to toe: How the iconic New Balance 990 is made

Before a New Balance 990 is formed into a complete sneaker, it begins its life as two-dimensional sheets of leather and fabric that get passed from one shoemaker to the next. From the patterns of the upper to the chunkiness of the sole, the 990s are recognizable even before the gray “N” logo is stitched on. While the look of the shoe has evolved since its inception in 1982, the craftsmanship has remained the same. Yahoo Finance gets a behind-the-scenes look at New Balance’s 115-year-old factory in Lawrence, Massachusetts, where 29 shoemakers stitch and design the 990v6. The shoemaking process is divided into five departments: cut, pre-fit, computer stitch, hand stitch, and assembly. In each of the 50 to 60 steps, precision is crucial, with quality checks throughout the process. The end result: an iconic shoe that is literally pieced together from start to finish in the US.Watch the video above to learn how the 990v6 is made.