The Federal Trade Commission announced Tuesday it has taken action against three companies it says misled American consumers by falsely claiming their products were made in the United States, including a shoemaker whose tagline reads “We make ‘em like they used to.”
Oak Street Bootmakers, the consumer protection watchdog said, claimed that certain boots, loafers, moccasins and other footwear were “handcrafted 100 percent” in the United States; that the “entire product” was made domestically “from heel‑to‑toe, using no pre‑assembled components from overseas”; and that its footwear was “More than Made in U.S.A.,” a phrase the Chicago‑based firm trademarked.
“For several years, Defendant has repeatedly and prominently represented, both expressly and by implication, that its Oak Street footwear products are wholly handcrafted in the United States,” lawyers for the FTC wrote in a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division. “To promote its ‘More than Made in U.S.A.’ representations, Defendant maintained a dedicated page on the Oak Street website that described the key differences between Oak Street and other American shoemakers.”
But the FTC alleged that since May 2023, Oak Street Bootmakers used a factory in the Dominican Republic to produce uppers for some shoes while sourcing outsoles from Brazil. The shoemaker, the agency added, shipped these components to a U.S. facility that finished the shoes. In some cases, Oak Street Bootmakers engaged a Dominican Republic factory to perform “bottoming” services for various footwear.
As a result, the FTC said, Oak Street Bootmakers sold thousands of footwear products—boots, loafers, bluchers, oxfords and moccasins—that failed to meet the “Made in U.S.A.” requirements under the FTC Act and Made in U.S.A. Labeling Rule, which mandate that all products advertised as “Made in the U.S.A.” must be “all or virtually all” made in the United States.
If a product doesn’t fulfill this requirement, the seller must clearly disclose how much is foreign-made, state it was only “assembled” in the United States or include “a clear and conspicuous qualification appears immediately adjacent to the representation that accurately conveys the extent to which the product contains foreign parts, ingredients or components, and/or processing.” These rules also apply to any word or image implying American origin, including terms like “built,” “produced” or “crafted.”
Consumers were harmed, the FTC complaint continued, because they paid hundreds of dollars for Oak Street footwear touted as “Made in U.S.A.” when it was manufactured or assembled “in significant part” in the Dominican Republic. They were also “deprived” of material information about the true nature and origin of these deceptively marketed boots, loafers, bluchers, oxfords and moccasins, it added.
To settle the case, Oak Street Bootmakers agreed to pay $75,000 to compensate customers, stop making false claims about where its products are made (especially anything bearing “Made in U.S.A.” labels) and ensure verified proof before any future claims about a product’s country of origin.
Oak Street Bootmakers pushed back in a statement.
“For over 15 years, we have passionately worked to preserve traditional American shoemaking,” an Oak Street Bootmakers spokesperson said. “As a small business that lacks the resources to withstand a prolonged review by a federal agency, this settlement allows us to continue our commitment to clear and accurate marketing and our relentless support of American shoemakers, American suppliers and the customers we serve.”
Even so, a website blurb that once read “We are 100 percent committed to manufacturing all our footwear and accessories in the United States” has been replaced with “Quality craftsmanship featuring materials of exceptional quality from long-trusted sources.” Each product page now sports an additional red tab reading “Made in U.S.A. with domestic and international materials from trusted sources.”
Also changed: Its “More than Made U.S.A.” page, which is now headlined “Made in U.S.A.” and no longer includes a chart contrasting “Made in U.S.A.” and “More than Made in U.S.A.” shoes, with the latter shown to be the superior patriotic choice in terms of sourcing, craftsmanship and assembly.
The FTC, which also charged electronic dartboard maker TouchTunes and flagmaker Americana Liberty in the same announcement, took its actions as part of a broader crackdown tied to President Donald Trump’s March executive order, “Ensuring Truthful Advertising of Products Claiming to be Made in America.”
While the order didn’t change the legal standard for an unqualified “Made in U.S.A.” label, it directed the FTC to make the issue a top priority—increasing fines, more closely monitoring digital sales and involving the Department of Justice when false claims arise.
“Americans have a right to clear, accurate, substantiated and accessible information regarding whether products advertised as ‘Made in America’ are actually made in the United States,” Trump wrote. “Protecting American consumers against fraudulent American-origin claims also benefits businesses that invest in American manufacturing and products.”
Oak Street Bootmakers was founded by George Vlagos in 2010 to “help preserve the tradition of American shoemaking” through techniques such as Goodyear welting, handsewing and stitchdown construction. Its year-round collection features leathers from American tanneries such as Horween Leather Co. in Chicago and Seidel Tanning in Milwaukee, plus U.S.-made Vibram rubber soles or British-made studded soles by Dainite, Barbour welts and Cougar rawhide laces; limited editions showcase specialty leathers and suedes from C.F. Stead in England, Maryam in Italy and Tannerie D’Annonay in France.
Prices start at $286 for a slip-on moccasin and can go up to $524 for a limited-edition field boot.
