Are you a Doc Martens fan? Then you must know how this iconic footwear brand became a crowd favorite since its birth in 1960.
Back then, Doc Marten’s boots were made in England. But where are Doc Martens made now? Is it still England?
Till 2003, these classic leather boots were entirely made in the UK. To lessen the production cost, the company then started manufacturing its shoes in Asia. Currently, most of the Docs are made in China, Thailand, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. A limited number of Docs are still produced in England though.
On that note, let us walk you through the brief history of this celebrated shoe brand that produces clothes and accessories as well.
The History of Dr Martens
At present, Dr. Martens manufacture shoes, bags, clothes, and other accessories in England, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Portugal, Bangladesh, and Lao.
According to Wikipedia, initially, the company was rebranded and launched as Dr. Martens in the UK in 1959. The very next year, we got their iconic 1460 style boots in the cherry red color. These smooth leather boots were designed with eight eyelets and the famous yellow stitching.
In the following year, they launched another pair of boots in the same color which was known as 1461. Dr Marten states, at that time, these shoes were made in their Cobbs Lane factory, in Wollaston, Northamptonshire.
Gradually, the demand for Docs increased which gave birth to several DM manufacturers throughout the country. They used to produce the boots under Doc Marten’s license.
Unfortunately, the company came close to bankruptcy in 2003. And therefore, it stopped manufacturing Docs in England and shifted its shoe production to China and Thailand.
Although they resumed making Doc Martens boots following the original specs of 1460 and 1461 models in their old Cobbs Lane factory in 2004.
Currently, only this “vintage” lineup of famous shoes is manufactured in the UK. The rest of the shoes are outsourced from other countries.
Are Dr. Martens Made in China?
Yes, they are made in China as setting up a shoe factory in China is way cheaper than it is in the UK. Moreover, the labor and material cost is also less.
After 2003, Dr. Martens shifted its shoe production to China from England under pressure from sales decline.
Since then it has been outsourcing a huge number of shoes from China.
Although the company is recently trying to increase manufacturing dependency in other Asian countries as well.
Are Dr. Martens Made in Bangladesh?
Similar to other Asian countries like China, Thailand, and Vietnam, Bangladesh also contributes a lot to the entire production of Doc Martens.
Are Doc Martens Made in Thailand?
Yes, some of the Docs are made in Thailand to lessen the manufacturing cost.
Is Dr. Martens Made in Thailand Original?
Yes, the Thailand-made Docs are also original even though they are not made in England.
But as you know, only the vintage lineup of Docs is currently being manufactured in England which covers only 1% of total DM’s production.
Since 2003, they have been making standard boots and shoes in different countries of the world including Thailand.
You will find a Thailand-made Doc pair even in their stores.
So, yes, they are authentic despite being a bit different from the British version.
Are Doc Martens Made in England?
Of course. This is a British footwear brand after all. And the shoes are widely attached to British culture. Resultantly, a limited amount of boots, bags, and shoe care accessories are still made in England.
Though the company ceased manufacturing shoes in England back in 2003 due to bankruptcy, it started making Docs again in England from the year 2004.
But now they manufacture only a limited number of shoes under the name of the “Vintage” collection.
And Dr. Martens claims that this Vintage lineup follows the same specifications as their iconic 1460 and 1461 boots. They also resumed making this Vintage lineup in their old Cobbs Lane factory situated in Wollaston.
However, England produces the lowest portion of Doc Marten among all the countries which is only 1% of its total product line. In 2010, Dr. Martens in England was making 50 pairs a day.
How Do You Tell If Doc Martens Are Made in England?
If your Docs were manufactured in the original Dr. Martens factory in England, you can see a “Made in England” stamp on the soles.
Aside from that, there are some other distinctions among the Doc Martens: England vs Thailand vs China versions. They are as follows-
- The “Made in England” Docs take significantly longer to break in.
- On the bright side, the Vintage DMs are made of Quilon leather which offers a more substantial feel. It is also a bit harder and lasts longer than the Asian-made ones.
- As the Asian DMs use softer leather, they have more comfortable insoles compared to a pair of Vintage Docs.
- If you compare the Thai boots with the UK ones, the Thai Docs run a little bigger.
- Talking about the famous yellow stitching which is the trademark of Dr. Martens, it is actually a bit sloppier on the UK-made boots.
- There’s no top collar on the Made in England Docs. Rather, you will see a raw leather edge.
- In the Thai or Chinese version of Docs, you will see the leather is a little bit shinier than in the UK version.
- A pair of Vintage Docs comes with felt midsoles that mold to your feet with time. But in the Asian variants, you will find a foam insole that is not so long-lasting.
- In a “Made in England” pair, the welt is more integrated and strongly attached to the sole.
All things considered, the UK pairs are sturdier whereas the Asian versions are comfier out of the box. But given enough break-in time, the Vintage lineup also becomes comfortable. Though they cost a fortune compared to a Chinese, Thai, or Vietnamese pair of Docs.
Are Doc Martens More Expensive in the UK?
Yes, absolutely. Usually, you get a pair of Docs for $150. But you need to spend almost double to get an England-made Doc pair.
Are Doc Martens Made in Vietnam?
Yes, Vietnam accounts for around 39% of Doc Marten’s total production around the world.
Huge, isn’t it? Since 2003, most of the Docs have been being manufactured in Asian countries and Vietnam successfully took advantage of this policy.
Due to their stable political conditions, low labor and material cost, and flexible production method, most of the famous shoe brands including DM shifted their majority of production to Vietnam.
Final Words
After going through the in-depth discussion about Doc Marten’s production, what’s your thought on this global fashion footwear? Are you still wondering, where are Doc Martens made?
They are still produced in their original factory in England, but only in a limited number. The rest of the shoes are mainly manufactured in Asian countries like China, Vietnam, and Thailand.
If you still want a Made-in-England pair, you need to spend some extra bucks and sacrifice some break-in period.
However, the outsourced Doc lineups are no less in terms of comfort and flexibility though.
