Championing Lifestyle Innovation: A Behind-The-Scenes Look at How the New Balance MADE 1978 Is Created
From concept to completion.
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The New Balance MADE 1978 silhouette marks the dawn of a new lifestyle franchise under the Boston-based stalwart. This groundbreaking low-top took approximately three years to develop and draws its design cues from the iconic 990 model which made its debut back in 1978. For this inaugural variant, the American label wanted to mimic yet revamp the modus operandi which was utilized to create the 990 sneaker using a range of modern textiles. It’s safe to say that they succeeded in producing a sleek and comfortable pair of sidewalk strutters for everyday use. All in all, the MADE 1978 is championing lifestyle innovation with its durable Vibram outsole and its three-piece upper done up in leather and suede.
From New Balance‘s Norridgewock factory in Maine to the brand’s Brighton Facility in Boston, get a behind-the-scenes-look at how it’s made below.
Norridgewock Factory
Tucked in the backwoods of Norridgewock, Maine is New Balance’s sizable factory where the three-piece upper of the 1978 is assembled in meticulous fashion. Over 300 employees seamlessly work together to churn out approximately 4,000 pairs each day. Staffers work in a u-shaped production line and are laser-focused in their specific tasks. In fact, Senior Director of Manufacturing Brendan Melly tells us that it takes just 52 seconds to complete each job. After the uppers are done and dusted, the Vibram outsoles are then fixated to complete the overall model. Melly adds that 10 years ago the entire process took about eight days, but now, it’s only a mere three hours to get one pair retail-ready.
Brighton Facility
New Balance’s Brighton facility is an outsole powerhouse and a huge thanks goes to the bevy of IMEVA machines that are used to create the elongated and lightweight Vibram unit. The immense injection-molding device was originally purchased in 2013 when the company had the hots for creating military footwear, especially since the monster-sized appliance allowed for approximately 250,000 additional pairs of sneakers each year. However, its purpose has changed ever since the label joined forces with Vibram.
The sole is the only component of the 1978 that wasn’t produced stateside. Instead, a chock-full of foam beads that make up the Vibram textile are outsourced from a handful of suppliers in Asia. Still, NB proudly touts its Made in the USA tag since at least 70% of the model was produced in America. Nonetheless, to create the sole, the beads are placed inside a mold and then a sole is created after a long effect of applied pressure and heat treatment.
The Future of the MADE Franchise
Brad Lacey, Global Design Director of New Balance
Global Design Director of New Balance, Brad Lacey, helmed the overall design for the 1978 ever since he joined the company two-and-a-half years ago. Lacey told us that he wanted to design products with the manufacturing process in mind. “Not necessarily thinking about running faster, jumping higher or stuff like that, but fine-tuning the craftsmanship for maximum efficiency,” he stated. As mentioned earlier, the 1978 was inspired by the 990 model and Lacey wanted to take on the same no limits mentality that the 990 designers manifested. He said: “The company started conceptualizing the 990 in the spring of ’78 and they had no limits. It took them four years to make. I didn’t want to take four years to make a shoe, but I wanted to think like that. Sort of no limits to what we can do with technology and how we reconstruct the shoe.”
All in all when it comes to this new era of lifestyle innovation, Lacey hopes that the company will continue to modernize without casting aside its sacred traditions. Having professed:
The part of why I wanted to do this project was to learn more about what was possible. The factories have been amazing at consistently making the type of shoes we’re known for, for a long period of time, but we wanted to see how far we can stretch into modern constructions. Where can we take it? That’s all you’re going to see with us going forward. Never letting go of the legacy. My mission is that quality is inherent in everything we do and widening the horizon for our Made in the USA/Made in the UK brand.
As a whole, New Balance is showing that isn’t afraid of change and innovation with its freshly polished 1978 model. The sneaker is set to hit store shelves on March 18 and will be offered in three distinct colorways for approximately $150 USD each.
