Footwear brand re-releases 1940s boot

Footwear brand re-releases 1940s boot

The 1000 Mile 1940 Boot. Courtesy Wolverine

A footwear brand is rolling out a new product based on a pattern from the 1940s.

Wolverine, a brand of the Rockford-based footwear and apparel maker Wolverine Worldwide, said this winter it began selling its 1000 Mile 1940 Boot online.

“We are so fortunate to have such a robust heritage of boot-making and can easily find inspiration from our archival patterns and designs,” said Carrie Hill, senior design manager for the Wolverine brand.

“The Wolverine 1000 Mile 1940 Boot is a perfect example of giving a nod to our heritage with the re-creation of a timeless style and using the finest materials to handcraft the boot.”

A bestseller when it was introduced in 1914, the 1000 Mile Boot was said to offer 1000 miles of wear. Over the years, Wolverine has released various iterations as part of its 1000 Mile Collection.

The boot

The product has a two-piece design with a “seamless contour back, cut to copy your ankle,” and the pattern lines use triple-needle stitching.

It is made of Horween leather from Chicago that comes in three different colors: natural, tan and black.

The 100-percent “vegetable-tanned” leather incorporates many of the same elements and processes as the company’s shell cordovan, a high-end equine leather.

Its color is the result of tanning “without the use of any dyes” and showcases the leather “in its most natural state,” allowing it to darken and develop a patina with wear.

The tan and black boots are made with a Horween Chromexcel leather that is oily and waxy, allowing the leather to “bloom” over time.

Made in Big Rapids

Wolverine’s 1000 Mile 1940 boots are made in Big Rapids and use a Goodyear Welt construction with a butyl-treated leather outsole and a Vibram rubber heel.

Wolverine said the Goodyear Welt construction allows the boots to be re-soled, so they last longer.