At this point, you’ve heard the story before. Small American start-up, making shoes and boots in Maine, using Horween leather and Vibram soles – well worn territory, to say the least. However, to write New England Outerwear Co. off as (yet another) late jumper on an already on-the-way-out bandwagon is to miss the point. For NEOC, selling “rugged” and “heritage-style” footwear isn’t some attempt to cash in on an ailing trend. Rather, it’s a way for them to help reinvigorate the economy in their hometown, keep centuries-old manufacturing traditions alive, and, lay the foundation for something that will last – all goals that are actually included in their business model.

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