S.B. Foot Tanning Company

What S.B. Foot Tanning Company does

S.B. Foot Tanning Company is a Red Wing, Minnesota-based leather manufacturer founded in 1872 that produces premium tanned leather primarily for footwear and accessory applications. The company employs 101-250 people at its Bench Street tannery, where it operates a Wet Blue tanning process using tree oils, tanning agents, and dyes in massive wood drums to produce stable, pliable, and durable leather with an expected longevity exceeding 50 years. Its portfolio comprises 24+ leather families organized into roughout leathers (Mohave, Muleskinner, Acampo), oil-tanned and smooth-finished leathers (Legacy, Harness, Prairie, Excalibur, Authentic, Rough & Tough, Portage, Chaparral, Boundary), and a broader Classic Collection.

S.B. Foot has supplied leather to Red Wing Shoe Company continuously since 1905 and was acquired by Red Wing Shoe Company, Inc. in 1986, making it a wholly-owned subsidiary integrated vertically into Red Wing's Heritage boot and Irish Setter Boots production. Beyond the parent-company supply relationship, S.B. Foot sells through a network of 12 authorized distributors across the United States and Canada, serving crafters, accessory makers, and smaller footwear manufacturers. The company does not sell directly to consumers. Custom leather development is handled through an Airtable-based leather request form routed to an in-house technical team. Hides are sourced from Midwestern ranches within 6 hours of Red Wing, a logistical moat enabling tight quality control. S.B. Foot is privately held, does not disclose revenue, has no public funding history, and operates exclusively in the US and Canada.

Name

S.B. Foot Tanning Company

Legal name

Red Wing Shoe Company, Inc.

Website

https://sbfoot.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1872

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

S.B. Foot Tanning Company is a 150-year-old Red Wing, Minnesota leather manufacturer that produces premium tanned leather for footwear and accessories, supplying Red Wing Shoe Company (its parent) and a network of 12 US/Canadian authorized distributors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Red Wing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Leather Product Sales: B2B sales of premium tanned leather to footwear manufacturers, accessory makers, and through a network of authorized distributors. Primary production line includes Classic Collection leathers that are continuously processed ensuring consistent supply.
2. Custom Leather Development: Technical team develops and produces custom leather specifications for customer requirements via leather request form (Airtable).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

S.B. Foot Tanning Company manufactures and supplies premium tanned leather to footwear manufacturers and accessory makers. Using a proprietary Wet Blue tanning process with tree oils, tanning agents, and dyes applied in massive wood drums, the company produces multiple leather families — including roughout, oil-tanned, and smooth-finished leathers — sourced from Midwestern ranches within six hours of Red Wing, Minnesota.

Product overview

S.B. Foot Tanning Company is a leather manufacturing company founded in 1872, producing premium leather for footwear and accessories. The company offers a diverse portfolio of leather families organized into two main categories: Roughout Leathers (including Mohave, Muleskinner, Acampo) and Smooth-Finished & Oil-Tanned Leathers (including Legacy, Harness, Prairie, Excalibur, Authentic, Rough & Tough, Portage, Chaparral, Boundary, and additional collections such as Casco, Boomer, Worksmith, Tamarack, Hillbilly, Hillfire, Mesa, Bombardier, Napa, Turbo Vegas, Norseman, and Pampas). The Classic Collection represents continuously processed standard high-quality leathers, while the company also releases seasonal collections such as the Fall 2025 Collection. The leathers are sourced from Midwestern ranches within 6 hours of Red Wing, Minnesota, and the tannery uses Wet Blue processing with tree oils, tanning agents, and dyes. S.B. Foot Tanning Company is a subsidiary of Red Wing Shoe Company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mohave Premium waterproof roughout leather originally designed to withstand harsh field conditions, offering texture, character, durability, water repellency, and superior stain resistance. Sold to footwear manufacturers and accessory makers through authorized distributors.
• Muleskinner Roughout leather with trademark toughness and durability, highlighted with a burnished look and visual texture for high-utility footwear and accessory applications.
• Acampo Roughout leather made with a special soft retan formula and oil coating for toughness and durability, combining a buttery soft hand feel with longevity.
• Legacy Oiled full-grain leather made exclusively for Red Wing Heritage from heavyweight U.S. cattle hides, with soft mellow temper, water, stain, and perspiration resistance, and visible natural beauty marks.
• Harness Natural heavyweight full-grain leather combining oil and wax for enhanced performance and surface appeal; 100% natural pull-up leather with no pigments used.
• Prairie Full-grain leather available in black color, designed for footwear applications.
• Excalibur Polishable semi-aniline leather made with Wet Stuff Retain, finished to a medium to bright luster; smooth to the touch with a slight waxy feeling and beautiful undertones emerging with break-in.
• Authentic Oil full-grain leather with a soft mellow temper and excellent surface feel; water, stain, and perspiration resistant with a natural appearance.
• Rough & Tough Distressed pull-up leather with an antiquated or mottled appearance designed to appear already broken in, with no finishing pigments used to preserve natural beauty.
• Portage Full-grain performance leather tanned in the tradition of Oro-iginal leather; withstands long wear with water, stain, and perspiration resistance. Heavyweight utility leather.
• Chaparral Classic full-finished leather with a smooth polished surface, water, stain, and perspiration resistant, and able to be polished to restore color and luster.
• Boundary Semi-aniline leather produced with a mellow retan process for a nice feeling leather when finished, with a semi-antiqued finish for a unique look.
• Casco Leather from the Casco family, available in tan color. Part of SB Foot's classic leather collection.
• Boomer Leather from the Boomer family, available in brown color. Part of SB Foot's classic leather collection.
• Worksmith Leather from the Worksmith family. Part of SB Foot's classic leather collection.
• Tamarack Leather from the Tamarack family, available in gold russet color. Part of SB Foot's classic leather collection.
• Hillbilly Leather from the Hillbilly family, available in dark ivy color. Part of SB Foot's classic leather collection.
• Hillfire Leather from the Hillfire family, available in acorn color. Part of SB Foot's classic leather collection.
• Mesa Leather from the Mesa family, available in red oak color. Part of SB Foot's classic leather collection.
• Bombardier Leather from the Bombardier family, available in dress blue color. Part of SB Foot's classic leather collection.
• Napa Leather from the Napa family, available in chili pepper color. Part of SB Foot's classic leather collection.
• Turbo Vegas Leather from the Turbo Vegas family, available in briar color. Part of SB Foot's classic leather collection.
• Norseman Leather from the Norseman family. Part of SB Foot's classic leather collection.
• Pampas Leather from the Pampas family, available in Chesapeake color. Part of SB Foot's classic leather collection.
• Custom Leather Development Bespoke leather development service where the technical team develops and produces custom leather specifications to customer requirements, initiated through a leather request form.

Quantifiable outcome

• Leather maintains properties in excess of 50 years

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and standard.

• Red Wing Shoe CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1986Red Wing Shoes, a privately-owned company with over a century of family tradition, acquired S.B. Foot Tanning Company in 1986. This vertical integration ensures consistent quality control and supply chain for Red Wing Heritage boot production.
• Softline Brand PartnersstandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized US distributor based in Minneapolis, MN. Part of the 12-distributor network selling SB Foot leather products to crafters and small manufacturers.
• Montana Leather Co.standardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized US distributor located in Billings, MT. Part of the authorized distribution network for SB Foot leather products.
• Springfield LeatherstandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized US distributor in Springfield, MO. Part of the distribution network for SB Foot leather products.
• OA LeatherstandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Canadian distributor based in Wilkie, SK. Provides SB Foot leather products to Canadian market.
• Lewis Leather SalesstandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized US distributor in Bryan, TX. Part of the SB Foot leather distribution network.
• American Leather ResourcesstandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized US distributor in Fort Worth, TX. Part of the authorized distribution network for SB Foot leather products.
• Newman LeatherstandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized US distributor in Cincinnati, OH. Part of the SB Foot leather distribution network.
• Fern Thatcher Co.standardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized US distributor in Gallatin, MO. Part of the authorized distribution network for SB Foot leather products.
• The Leather GuystandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized US distributor in St. Charles, MN. Part of the SB Foot leather distribution network.
• Hide & Leather HousestandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized US distributor in Napa, CA (operating since 1968). Part of the authorized distribution network for SB Foot leather products.
• Maverick Leather CompanystandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized US distributor in Bend, OR. Part of the SB Foot leather distribution network.
• P.H.B. InternationalstandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized US distributor in Hull, MA. Part of the authorized distribution network for SB Foot leather products.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Wolverine Worldwide: Major footwear conglomerate (Boots, Cat, Harley-Davidson) and a significant consumer of premium leather. Comparable as a large-scale footwear brand customer with similar tannery supply chain needs.
• Red Wing Shoe Company: Parent company and largest customer of S.B. Foot, manufacturing the iconic Red Wing Heritage and Irish Setter boots. Comparable as the downstream vertical integrator and primary demand driver for the tannery.

Direct peers

• Eastman Leather: Custom leather tanner specializing in vegetable-tanned and exotic leathers for footwear, equestrian, and luxury accessories. Directly comparable specialty tannery serving similar end markets with bespoke leather development.
• Horween Leather Company: One of America's oldest and most respected tanneries, founded 1905 in Chicago, producing premium vegetable and chrome-tanned leathers for footwear, sporting goods, and accessories. Closely comparable heritage tannery serving footwear brands with similar B2B model.
• Tyson Leather: Multi-generational leather manufacturer producing premium finished leather for footwear, upholstery, and accessory markets. Comparable specialty tannery with similar B2B customer base in workwear and fashion footwear.
• Prime Tanning: Large-scale US tanner producing wet blue, crust, and finished leathers for footwear, automotive, and upholstery. Comparable in chrome-tanned wet blue process focus and footwear-grade output.
• Herman Oak Leather: St. Louis-based tannery producing premium vegetable-tanned leathers for belts, holsters, saddlery, and footwear. Comparable specialty heritage tannery serving accessory and footwear makers through distributor networks.
• Wickett & Craig: Premium vegetable-tanned leather producer established 1867 in Pennsylvania, serving footwear, saddle, belt, and accessory manufacturers. Highly comparable long-running specialty tannery with similar B2B distribution through craft and industrial channels.

Emerging players

• Jenden Leather: Specialty leather producer focused on premium finished leathers for craft and small footwear brands. Comparable emerging specialty tanner with overlap in custom development and distributor-led sales.

Regional players

• Joseph Clayton & Sons (Claytons Leather): UK-based long-established tanner producing premium leathers for footwear and saddlery markets. Comparable heritage tannery serving similar end-uses but operating primarily in European markets rather than North America.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sb-foot-tanning-co.

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about S.B. Foot Tanning Company