New Balance is being sued for falsely marketing its sneakers as being “Made in the USA,” according to The Fashion Law.
Plaintiffs Matthew Cristostomo, Anthony Bollini, Spencer Verrilla, Derrick Evans, Clifton Bradley, and Robert Kaminsky claim that New Balance is misrepresenting the quality of its sneakers with its American flag tongue badges, “Made in the USA and “Made in the US for over 75 years” markings.
The plaintiffs claim that as much as 30 percent of the parts of New Balance shoes are imported overseas or made with foreign labor.
A rep for New Balance told The Fashion Law in response to the suit that the company “takes pride in our longstanding commitment to domestic manufacturing—it is a valued part of our heritage and culture,” noting that its “four New England-based factories currently employ approximately 1,000 Americans employed to produce our athletic footwear.” Additionally, the rep stated that “New Balance seeks to be transparent in all consumer communications, prominently disclosing that where domestic value is at least 70 percent, the brand’s footwear is labeled Made in the USA.”
Photo courtesy New Balance, click here to watch the video produced by New Balance.
