Where Are Doc Martens Made? [Facts About DM Production]

Written By Sunny

The phenomenal Doc martens are a reliable name in the footwear field.

But the brand’s reliable legacy is in a question mark when we talk about their production houses. Because they never disclose the area or country where they actually made the exotic pairs.

where-are-doc-martens-made

Luckily, in this article, you will find compiled answers about Dr. martens manufacturing countries that I gathered from different reviews and their stores.

So, read along!

Where Are Doc Martens Produced? 

Doc martens manufacture their shoes in different locations worldwide. The shoe accessories, materials, and productions are completed in England, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Bangladesh, Laos, and Portugal. But they only disclose their England-made products.

This is the main reason; we generally think Doc Martens are made in England. doc-martens-made-in-england

The real leather Dr. Martens pairs are the most iconic shoe that reigns as a king in footwear lines for over half a century. After enormous popularity, they earned a lot of responses for their well-featured quality product along with their transparency.

However, while researching their origin, I found mixed information that the Marten brand never revealed on its own.

If you check their website vigorously, you can notice the differences in their manufactured product vary according to their production continents. You will find their England-made shoes separately.

Otherwise, It’s apparent on their website that they tend to skip the made-in line from their feature images and texts. And they skip the details from Asian-made pairs.

However, You will see the handcrafted, exotic boots that Dr. Martens manufacture in their own factory, Wollaston-England, mentioned as their most iconic pair.

Are Doc Martens Actually Made in Asian Countries?

Yes, doc martens are actually made in the Asian continent. Surprisingly, a vast amount of boot production is completed in China, Vietnam, Thailand, Bangladesh, and those countries currently produce 98% of the total shoe production of Dr. Martens.

So, Doc pairs are produced in Asia, and only 1% of shoes and producing materials are made in European countries.

Doc martens shifted their manufacturing factories from England to other countries because those countries charge a minimum labor cost which is budget efficient compared to the UK.

Not only the labor cost, but Asian countries also charge cheaper for warehouses and materials. Maybe these are the main reason that Doc Martens never unveil the area of manufacturing factories.

Because still, there are a lot of people who think China and other developing countries only make cheap products by using B-Grade materials. doc-martens-made-in-china

I know the brand didn’t disclose the production houses, yet they are not trying to hide them. You will find the labeling of where the pair was actually made in the shoe’s interior.

Additionally, it’s pretty standard when we talk about doc martens production in Vietnam. Vietnam is famous for shoe production because the two most enormous beasts of footwear, Nike & Adidas, are also made in Vietnam. doc-martens-made-in-vietnam

In a word, you can consider Vietnam a leader in footwear manufacturing. They also completed the shoe labeling from their own production house.

China and Vietnam, both countries, are renowned for their human resources and product quality.

Apart from those countries, Dr. martens are also made in Thailand and Bangladesh, which is quite surprising for all. When searching for their manufacturing countries, I found many Thailand products with their labeling. doc-martens-made-in-thailand-and-bangladesh

But These two countries produce only a tiny amount of products compared to other countries.

Where Are Doc Martens Boots Made in England?

The yellow threads Doc martens are originally made in England at the Wollaston factory in Northamptonshire. The brand manufactured all the needed accessories along with their finished pair in that production factory from 1960 to 2003. Since 2004 Doc started to produce its shoes in different countries.

Dr. Martens are the staple shoe of every British people because the shoes are specially designed to satisfy people’s cravings.

In those four decades, 90% of the product were only made in England in the same place.

After 2003, they started constructing their shoes in the Asian continent to increase revenue. In 2007, Dr. Martens reopened their cobs lane factory and started to make a few handcrafted products using experienced hands. where-are-doc-martens-boots-made-in-england

In recent days, you will find some exclusive items like 1460 boots, 1461 shoes, and 2976 classic Chelsea boots that are only made in England by the Northamptonshire company.

Only 50 people work there, and they continuously reconstruct their vintage collections from the 1960s. The doc martens users share these shoes are different from other DM pairs.

Not only for their handmade construction process, but they also find some differences in midsole, molds, and shape.

Conforming to consumers’ feedback, they found a better attached, stronger welt in the crafted DMs. People also claim that the England pair receives more resilient leather compared to Asian-manufactured shoes.

Fortunately, Doc martens offer good arch support; you can consider them a medicated pair because of their well-featured midsole.

They offer good relief for flat feet and any particular foot condition. For example, Dr. martens are good for orthotic patients. So if you have flat feet or any other foot issues, you can wear your DM pair without hesitation.

How Are Dr. Martens Made?

After knowing about their production country variation, maybe the one question roaming in your mind is how the pair was made and whether every factory followed the same process or not.

Well, In this segment, I’m sharing the process of manufacturing Doc Martens along with their used materials.

The brand’s most iconic technique is the melted PVC mold for making their sole. The molded sole offers a solid one-piece sole without any joints, and that process makes doc martens long-lasting shoes.

Besides, they use the hydraulic press to cut their leather in its fixed shape and size.

After cutting leather perfectly, they start sewing in different sewing machines. They mainly use a “Puritan” stitching machine to stitch the outer part of their exclusive boots. The puritan used for Iconic 3-row yellow threads in the DM shoe paneling. how-are-doc-martens-made

At last, after doing eyelets and trimming, the soles are again melted in a high flame. This high heat is used for attaching the PVC sole.

And trust me, this burning method works tremendously. After this process, the DM boots become single-piece solid-soled boots. The heat melts the material and seals them properly.

After doing all work, they check every pair and polish them for shining.

That is all they’re doing before sending shoes to their customers. And that molded sole makes doc martens an ideal walking pair. The structured footbed offers the most stable seat for those who wear shoes for a whole day.

How Can You Tell Your Doc Martens is Real?

Identifying the fake or real shoe is the most crucial yet essential part of buying the piece. And this part has become the prime step when you buy a pair like Doc martens because we all know they are pretty expensive.

Being a shoe enthusiast, I found some specific parts that differentiate your original and fake Doc pair.

Let’s find out the differences between the original and fake DM shoes:

  • The brand used iconic boxes for its product packaging. The brand uses a cardboard box with the brand logo on the lid and side of the box. Fake retailers do not provide such boxes with their replicas. how-can-you-say-your-doc-martens-are-real
  • Avert the inner part; you also find a fixed marked label on the outsole. Sometimes the replica also covers this feature, but you will understand the differences if you check thoroughly.
  • After unboxing them, check the inside of the tongue or interior; if your shoe is original, you will find a label mentioning every detail about their manufacturing countries. details-of-manufacturing-country
  • If ever you check fake or real shoes at a time, you can identify the differences at a glance because of the yellow stitches. The Doc brand does the 3-row threads that are so iconic and clean, whereas the other replicas don’t.

Apart from that, a lot of identification can help you tell if your doc marten is real or not. So, before picking the yellow threads’ beast, check them properly.

Parting Thoughts

Doc martens are produced in various Asian countries, including England, which is their origin.

I hope I’ve already delivered all the information you are searching for about martens productions houses and the procedure. For further queries, knock me through the comment box.

Till then, secure shopping!

About The Author
Sunny is all about action and activities. He finds it difficult to contain himself. Be it motorcycling, playing football, or exploring the great outdoors, he loves to keep his legs busy.Sunny quickly realized the importance of footwear to keep himself going healthily. This was when he decided to share all his knowledge and expertise regarding different footwear and their significance.Now, he’s on a mission with this humble platform by his side. With time he plans on doing bigger and better things.Apart from his writing and other hobbies, he loves spending time with his cat Sophie. He loves to cook for his friends and family too.

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