We are pleased to bring you the latest edition of Sole Source!

It’s been an active 2026 so far at USFMA, and there is lots in store for the months ahead. 

We continue to add news members, including more than half a dozen in the past three months alone. We are reinforcing our legislative efforts to close loopholes in the Berry Amendment that undermine domestic production and leave our troops without sufficient footwear options. In addition, we are seeking additional federal research dollars to help fuel new footwear innovations and manufacturing processes. 

Growing the ranks: Recruiting remains a top priority for the association as we seek new partners in building political support and fostering the new partnerships required to expand domestic footwear production and build more resilient supply chains.

We have had a significant growth spurt in the last few months, thanks to our outreach efforts and our members, who have played a critical role in enlisting new partners. 

We have welcomed Arris Composites, USM Americas, Belleville Boots, Hope Global, as well as a trio of Italian machinery suppliers who are expanding their support for U.S. footwear production. And we have more announcements on new members in store, so stay tuned.

Spring ahead: Thanks to everyone who participated in USFMA’s two-day Spring Meeting in late February, where we sharpened our agenda, huddled with key government officials, and showcased ARRIS Composites.

Special thanks to Sushan Demirjian, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Small Business, Market Access, and Industrial Competitiveness, who provided insights into ongoing trade negotiations and enforcement priorities and listened to members' concerns on supply chains and tariff uncertainty.

“As USTR continues to evaluate trade agreements and tariff authorities that directly affect global footwear supply chains, member input is critical,” said USFMA Policy Director Karlee Popken.

She urged members to share examples of how tariffs are impacting their supply chains, including sourcing, machinery, components, and finished footwear.

Special thanks to Sidney Roth of the Textile Renewal Alliance for also briefing our members. And a shout-out to Ram Nagarajan of the University of Massachusetts Lowell for providing an update on military footwear research funding.

Last but not least, we were extremely grateful to hear personally from and engage with Congressman Gabe Amo of Rhode Island, a member of the Budget Committee and House Manufacturing Caucus.

Hill visits: Attendees from more than two dozen footwear manufacturers and suppliers fanned out on Capitol Hill to press lawmakers on both sides of the aisle on our legislative priorities, while USFMA also hosted a reception for lawmakers and staff.

The association ultimately met with 30 congressional offices in all.

ON THE HILL

AGENDA SETTING: One of the leading priorities this year is passage of the bipartisan BOOTS Act, which was approved by the House last year but was ultimately not adopted and signed into law. 

The legislation would close loopholes in the Berry Amendment that allow military personnel to wear foreign-made combat boots, which has undermined domestic production. 

One of the arguments we are wielding is the recent wargame sponsored by the Defense Logistics Agency that found the Pentagon “would struggle to meet wartime surge requirements” with domestically produced boots. 

“We will remain actively engaged with our congressional champions and key Armed Services Committee members in the weeks ahead to position the BOOTS Act for success,” said Popken. “Continued outreach and engagement will be critical as we work to get this legislation over the finish line.”

R&D push: The association has also been advocating for more federal investment in military footwear R&D in Fiscal 2027.

“The commercial market’s migration offshore, particularly to China and other Asian producers, has shifted innovation ecosystems, tooling capability, and supplier networks away from the United States,” said USFMA Executive Director Bill McCann. “Without sustained federal investment, the domestic base risks remain under risk to meet wartime demand despite the requirements of the Berry Amendment.”

‘DOUBLING DOWN’: One hopeful sign of growing support for our policy agenda was the creation in February of the bipartisan Berry Amendment Caucus in the House. 

"You cannot be the strongest military in the world while depending on foreign supply chains for mission-critical gear," said Rep. Pat Harrigan of North Carolina. “As co-chair of this caucus, I am doubling down on a simple principle: The equipment that defends the United States should be made in the United States."

“We must strengthen the Berry Amendment, guaranteeing that every thread of the defense supply chain is American made,” added Co-Chair Rep. Don David of North Carolina.

New energy: Other members of the caucus include Nikki Budzinski of Illinois; Rich McCormick of Georgia; Chris Pappas of New Hampshire; Ralph Norman of South Carolina; John Carter of Texas; Gabe Amo of Rhode Island; Joseph Morelle of New York; Brian Mast of Florida; and Greg Murphy, Chuck Edwards, David Rouzer, and Tim Moore of North Carolina.

“We are grateful to Caucus Co-Chairs Congressmen Harrigan and Davis for their leadership and commitment that our troops have the highest quality footwear, both in training and in battle,” said McCann.

“For too long, the Berry Amendment has been undermined, and American manufacturers and jobs have suffered as a result,” added Popken. “The Berry Amendment Caucus will inject new energy into our efforts to make sure that both the spirit and the letter of the law are followed, and our troops are no longer turning to foreign suppliers for some of their most elemental personnel protective equipment.”

Read USFMA’s statement of support.

POLICY WINS: USFMA was also pleased to see that several provisions that will benefit the domestic footwear industry were included in the Fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act that was signed into law in December. 

The bill directed the DLA, in coordination with each military service, to develop strategies for long-term, predictable contracting with domestic footwear suppliers.

The NDAA also required the DLA to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the domestic footwear supply chain within one year, including identifying single-source footwear items, analyzing past delays caused by rigid supply chains, and assessing surge or contingency production capacity.

The review is intended to identify opportunities to expand public–private partnerships, adopt flexible production models, and pursue research and development to replace items currently covered by Berry Amendment waivers.



Marching orders: Under the new law, each military branch must also establish a program by January 2027 to certify that combat boots meet durability, quality, and uniform standards.

That includes to determine general wear, durability, and quality benchmarks; specialty-specific requirements for different environments and duties; and minimum biomechanical standards that support troop health and readiness.

The NDAA requires quarterly briefings to Congress while the program and review process is developed and USFMA will be tracking closely and reporting back to the membership.

TRADE

‘MEANINGFUL TRADE POLICIES’: On the trade front, USFMA is also engaged with policymakers to ensure U.S. tariffs consider the impact on domestic footwear producers and that trade agreements help and don’t hinder a domestic resurgence. 

For example, USFMA has joined forces in December with the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) and Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA) to urge President Trump to take action to eliminate Japan's longstanding tariff-rate quota (TRQ) on leather footwear as part of any final U.S. Japan Agreement on Reciprocal Trade.

Limiting U.S. imports: Currently, Japan maintains a highly restrictive TRQ that allows only 12 million pairs of leather footwear to be imported annually from all countries combined, at an elevated duty rate of 21.6 percent. 

Once that quota is filled, imports are subject to an additional 30 percent duty or 4,300 yen per pair, whichever is higher. This barrier has historically been identified as a way to effectively block U.S.-made and U.S.-branded leather footwear from accessing one of the world's largest consumer markets.

"USFMA will continue to engage closely with industry partners, Administration officials, and Congressional stakeholders to reinforce the importance of these issues and to advocate for meaningful trade policies that support the domestic footwear industry," said Popken.



Read the organizations' letter to the president.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

HEAL THY HEEL:  Pioneering research by USFMA member University of Massachusetts Lowell, supported by the Department of War, is developing alternative outsoles for a “Self-Healing Combat Boot” with advanced fibers and fabrics that could replace the ubiquitous polyurethane (PE).

The research by James Reuther, Associate Professor of Chemistry at UMass Lowell is being spearheaded by UML’s Fabric Discovery Center, which has partnerships on a number of cutting-edge military research projects with fellow association members Advanced Functional Fabrics of America, Polylabs, and Haartz.

The multi-phase effort is called Supporting Warfighters through Innovative Footwear Technologies (SWIFT) and is part of UML’s Harnessing Emerging Research Opportunities to Empower Soldiers (HEROES) program. 

‘Dynamic bonds’: A primary aims is to demonstrate that new PU formulations can also introduce self-healing properties without sacrificing performance. “Enabled by the dynamic bonds we introduce into the materials, the damaged areas can be repaired using heat,” Reuther told industry publication Textile Insight.

“Similarly, the dynamic bonds can be exchanged at higher temperatures to impart flowability and reprocessing qualities, using techniques otherwise impossible for PU thermosets," he added.

The team is also researching synthetic replacements for cattle-hide leather in the upper components of combat boots.

Read more about the USFMA supported work.

IN STRIDE: USFMA member Koobz unveiled a 3D-printed upper at Stride Portland this month in Oregon.



“After a monumental lift from our team, we’ve officially cracked the code on 3D-printed shoe uppers,” said CEO Kuba Graczyk. “The result? Footwear that is visually striking, completely unique, and incredibly comfortable.”

Learn more about Koobz.

‘KEY PIECE OF OUR BUSINESS’: New Balance, meanwhile, closed out 2025 by publishing its first MADE in USA Economic and Social Footprint report chronicling its renewed focus on domestic manufacturing.  

“Our commitment to American manufacturing, which we call MADE, has always been an integral part of our company heritage and culture,” said President and CEO Joe Preston, noting that “our ongoing MADE investments are a key piece of our business success that has driven significant contributions to the U.S. economy and our New England communities.” 

The USFMA member now has five factories in New England, in Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, where it produces its MADE U.S. footwear containing a domestic value of 70% or more.

Last year also marked the company’s fifth consecutive year of double-digit growth in 2025, with $9.2 billion, up 19 percent from the year before. Overall, the company has seen revenue grow 180 percent since 2020.



Read more: New Balance Races to $9.2 Billion in 2025 Sales

EVENTS

The Department of War Footwear Industry Committee meeting will take place on May 20 in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. You can register here. Please send the completed form to ellsbill103@gmail.com no later than Friday, April 17, 2026. 

Have company news to share? Want to flag an upcoming event or milestone? We want to hear from you. Please email Bryan Bender at bender@strategicmi.com.

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