New Balance

The origins of New Balance the brand:

New Balance is an American sneaker manufacturer founded in Boston, Massachusetts. This is in the North of America or the USA. This beautiful company was founded some time ago, in 1906. In this year, William J Riley started the company, back then it was called “New Balance Arch Support Company”.

Who is the founder of New Balance and how did this happen?

William J Riley was an Irish immigrant who initially focused his company on making orthopedic products and arch supports. In 1934, Arthur Hall joined Riley's team and became his business partner, selling insoles for working people who stand on their feet all day. Every complaint was examined and as specifically as possible, by means of a good sole or supportive heel cup, it was ensured that people had the strength to continue working with less pain and more comfort. This is what we still do at Burned.

In the 1950s a new adventure began for men and New Balance also started producing custom-made sneakers. This was such a hit and caused demand for New Balance sneakers to skyrocket. In fact, the demand became so high that many athletes started asking for custom sneakers. They saw the advantages of the custom-made shoes and thought they could perform optimally. This was of course great for the company and they had free advertising because athletes from all over the area came to buy custom-made shoes. Arthur Hall was no longer the youngest himself and wanted to pass the baton to his daughter and her husband. Between 1954 and 1956 the company was transferred to Eleanor Hall and Paul Kidd. The takeover brought fresh blood into the company and new ideas that better matched the spirit of the times. It remained a family business so they could and New Balance still can hold on to its roots and go for functionality. They did not have to be guided by big investors or certain hypes.

After the takeover, Eleanor Hall and Paul Kidd launched the Trackster in 1960, which was the world's first running shoe with a wrinkled sole that provided a lot of traction. An idea that is now indispensable in today's sneakers, but was super innovative at the time. This shoe was also available in a new type of sizing. Normally sneakers were only adjusted in length, but this shoe was also available in different width sizes. New Balance was the first manufacturer of sneakers that also had a width size. The Trackster received a big boost in demand from the YMCA program, which made it the unofficial running shoe. Many American college track teams used the shoes in their races that took place throughout the country. The colleges competed with each other across America and word of mouth continued to increase. This made for almost perfect free marketing and got the shoe a lot of attention across the country. New Balance thus became a household name throughout the country.

In 1972, New Balance was sold again, but this time to an outsider of the family, the chairman, also known as CEO Jim Davis, bought the company on the day of the iconic Boston Marathon. At the time, 6 people worked for New Balance who together produced 30 pairs of shoes per day. made. Jim was committed to a number of things, especially individual customer preferences, good customer service and quality products. His wife Anne started helping him in 1978, she created a special corporate culture within New Balance. Anne's support came at a moment's notice, around that time from the “Runners Boom” in Boston and the surrounding area. Their production line expanded enormously and sales went through the roof. This was the first time that they could compete as a real sneaker company with the larger ones of that time.

Between then and now, New Balance has released many sneakers, all with a different function, fit or width. To properly distinguish all these shoes, they gave these different models numbers such as the 990 and the 574. The numbers not only indicated the model but also the activity for which they were intended and whether they were made for speed or stability. These numbers are still used to this day. The range has expanded beyond just the sneakers and arch supports of the past, which has continued to grow considerably over the years, so they make dozens of sneaker models, clothing lines and special products for running, football, cricket, basketball, and cycling.

New Balance Rejuvenation:

New Balance has also been rejuvenating and is turning into a company that wants to appeal to more target groups. A big step in this was the founding of “New Balance Numeric”, founded at the time by professional skateboarder Jamie Thomas. New Balance has also recently had more and more so-called “collabs” with other brands. Similar to Kanye West with Adidas and Virgil Abloh with Nike. New Balance, on the other hand, often collaborates with other brands or sometimes even stores, some examples of which are Concepts, Hanon, Bodega, Stray Rats Reprise and Aime Leon Dore.

Model numbers and their meaning:

The last 2 numbers indicate what the sneaker is intended for and what it is good at. The “40” provides superior control, stability, cushioning and support. Models ending with these two numbers are ideal for people with a flatter arch or flat feet. Examples of these are the 940 and 1540. The “50” is mainly intended for fitness and running for both outdoor activities and indoor workouts.

Category “60” offers market-leading stability. This type of sneakers also reduces incorrect propulsion of the foot while walking and running, so the cushioning and comfort in these shoes is unprecedented. An example of this is the 860.

Goal of New Balance:

New Balance is actually for everyone, they want to help you break your records, whether you are a top athlete or like to run occasionally. The products fit perfectly with this, meeting both function and fashion. When these are combined, this often results in a fashionable, comfortable sneaker or shoe that New Balance has been known for for years. One of the remarkable things about New Balance is that it has managed to stay relevant across all target groups. You see older people walking on the models for the comfort and smooth handling, but the youth also want sneakers from the company. This is a unique combination and with many other sports shoe brands the older target group is often left out because they do not find the shoes attractive or too striking.

New Balance Made in USA / UK Sneakers:

Although New Balance proudly hails from the US (Boston, Massachusetts, to be precise), the athletic brand also has a factory across the ocean in Flimby, England. In fact, the Flimby factory is quite large, producing approximately 30,000 pairs of shoes per week.

Sneakers from New Balance's 'Made in UK' range stand out from the rest and are the premier New Balance sneakers for the quality of their materials and construction. Although that comes with slightly higher retail prices, it is an investment that many sneakerheads are looking for and find more than worth it for a refined shoe. An added bonus of New Balance's "Made in UK" line is that the Flimby factory produces several heritage models, such as the iconic 991 and 1500. In the present day, there is much to do to improve the conditions in which workers work and the quality of life that they have. The factories in both the USA and the UK employ local workers who are provided with everything they are entitled to. Consider the minimum income insurance pension and so on. We therefore think it is more than worth paying some extra money for a fairer product with better quality. Please note that you cannot buy these models in large retail chains. Due to limited production quantities, they are only available from smaller specialists. We will be selling these lines from mid-2020.

So if you are looking for high-quality, simple shoes check out our sneakers and highlights in our blog from the made in UK or USA line. Our favorite styles include colorful renditions of the 1500 silhouette - perfect for making your summer last a little longer - as well as more neutral versions of the 991 and 1530.