US government convenes on domestic athletic footwear manufacture
The vice-president of the American Apparel and Footwear Association, Steve Lamar, is among members of the footwear industry called to meet the US Department of Defense (DoD) today to discuss changes to the Berry Amendment, which might mean recruits to the US forces have to use vouchers to purchase domestically made athletic footwear.
New Balance and Wolverine Worldwide are among a few brands which have shown it is possible to produce the shoes with components made in the US and stand to benefit from the change.
Wolverine brand Saucony told sportstextiles it could have compliant shoes ready by the end of the calendar year.
The meeting will be held at the Pentagon in Washington.
The ‘Berry Amendment’, prohibits the DoD from using funds appropriated or otherwise available to it for the procurement of certain items if those items are not grown, reprocessed, reused or produced in the US.
See WSA July/August for a closer look.
Image:Congressman Mike Michaud, who campaigned for the change in the Berry Amendment, takes a tour around a New Balance factory. Credit: Mike Michaud / Flickr
