Rod's Buyers Tour Tony Lama Boot Factory

Rod’s boot buyers recently took a trip to the Tony Lama boot factory. The Tony Lama Boot Company was established in El Paso, TX in 1911. It started as a shoe and boot repair shop and is now a multimillion dollar business. Tony Lama’s world class styling makes them the world’s most recognized boot brand.

Rod’s and Tony Lama agree that the key to a true piece of quality footwear is for every part of the boot to be leather. Tony Lama’s leather buyers search the world for the finest of hides to bring you the quality you have come to expect from Tony Lama Boot Company. Lisa Smith, the designer of Tony Lama Boots, studies the western market to bring you the most innovative styling in today’s boot industry.

It takes over one hundred and thirty steps to make a handcrafted pair of Tony Lama Boots. We had the privilege of meeting some of these craftsmen while we were at the factory. Robert Torrez, the Factory Manager, gave us a tour of the factory. Not only have some of these craftsmen been employed for forty years, they have been performing the same step of the boot making process since they have been employed. These well respected people are experts in their field.

We were able to see every step it takes to make a pair of fine Tony Lama boots. We toured the leather room and saw the vast assortment of exotic hides in an array of colors. We saw how the vamp (foot) is sewn to each shaft (top part of boot). We learned how the last (a polyethylene form) is used to build the boot on. The last is what makes different brands fit differently. The last determines the size of the boot, the shape of the toe, and how high the heel of the boot can have.

Tony Lama is always searching for the new technologies to combine with traditional boot making. There is a separate room in the factory where the computerized stitching machines are located. Though some Tony Lama boots shaft stitching is still done by hand, the stitching machines allow twelve boot shafts to be stitched at a time. Not only does the shaft stitching decorate the shaft, it also adds stability to the top of the boot long after the boot is broken in. Here you can see some of the stitching machines creating a piece of art on the shaft of these fine Tony Lama Boots.

This skilled craftsman is pegging this boot. Tony Lama uses brass nails along with lemonwood pegs to attach the soles to boots. The brass nails do not rust when the sole gets wet. Lemonwood pegs are used because they expand and contract with various weather conditions the sole of your boots may encounter- this way they don’t work their way out of the sole of your boots.

We even got to try our hand at pegging a boot! This is Anna Taylor, Assistant Boot Buyer for Rod’s.

This craftsman is working on some collar overlays for the shaft.

Take a virtual tour of the factory and learn how Tony Lama boots are made. Rudy Lama, grandson of Tony Lama, gives the tour

While we were at the factory we worked with Lisa Smith (Designer),Mike Fuller (Brand Manager), and our sales representative Scott Schrader to develop the styles we designed for Rod’s exclusive boots. These designs will be displayed at the Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus, OH in October along with Tony Lama’s TLX and 3R collections.

Rod’s Buyers continue to travel the country to bring you the highest quality boots with the latest innovation in style and comfort. Tony Lama Boots are a staple in our growing boot assortment.