The Nike/Converse manufacturing map shows raw material production coming from China, which means that the cotton used by them likely exclusively comes from China. Most cotton that is used for canvas like that which is found in Converse’s products “often comes from China, South Korea, or Turkey” (World101).

The first material used in Converse’s Chuck Taylors is cotton canvas which, as the name suggests, is made of cotton. What we know is that the major materials involved in the production of Chuck Taylors are cotton canvas and rubber, which are largely focused on in the raw materials acquisition and manufacturing parts of the shoe’s life cycle and have a profound impact on their surrounding environments. This vast web of factories and production lines poses some serious questions: what goes on in the process of making these shoes? Where are these primary materials coming from? What’s being used to create a shoe that claims to be just rubber and canvas? Although these questions are not answered directly by Converse, the shoe’s popularity lives on, with the appeal staying consistently high for years and years. For something that seems to be such a simple process, this list for shoes made by Converse spans over twelve factories in at least five countries. Converse and their parent company, Nike, have a list of all the factories they use to create secondary materials for their products, as well as to completely manufacture them. However, when looking closer the lines of what makes up this seemingly simple shoe start to get blurred. What stands out to consumers the most about Converse shoes is how little seems to go into them, with very few materials and an extremely simple design they manage to remain fashionable and popular to the masses. In 2020, the reselling giant StockX saw Converse have the fourth highest amount of trades among all shoe brands (Einhorn). Materials in the Life Cycle of Converse Chuck Taylor ShoesĬonverse, and specifically Chuck Taylors, are one of the most popular sneakers on the market today. Alexander Arellano, Rey’Zarria McMillon Perkins

Chucks! by Hal Peterson