According to a staff member who has seen the warehouse, "It was a treasure trove .
What kind of item are those boots that look brand new next to Mr. Abe's?
Abe:. This is another item to be sold as part of the "UPCYCLE PROJECT. As you know, Red Wing is a company that stubbornly insists on U.S. production, but after the finished products are inspected, they are inspected again after arriving in Japan, and then delivered to the stores. Then, we inspect the finished product, and after it arrives in Japan, we inspect it again before delivering it to the store.
Abe:The person who conducted these inspections is the current head of Red Wing Japan. She was originally in charge of quality control, and when there were flaws or incorrectly shipped items, she would inform the staff in the U.S. and we would discuss ways to improve the situation together. Because of this close communication, she was able to see the face of the creator, so she kept items that would normally have to be disposed of with care.
I see. It's like looking at your grandchildren.
Abe:. yes, I know. Such items have been accumulating for 15 years, and inventory that used to be both left feet can now be found with a right foot. When we dug them up at this time, we found that the flaws were not so big, and most of them were acceptable in today's sense of values. We decided to upcycle them because we felt it was not good to let them go to waste. According to a staff member who visited the warehouse, "It was a treasure trove.
. You mean that you can get a rare model or a part number that has never been seen before?
Abe:. some of the items are anniversary models and limited to 250 pairs.
Why haven't these items been shown to the public?
Abe:There are various reasons for this, such as having the wrong sole, a really small scratch, or a single eyelet in a different color. In the past, such items would have been treated as "B" items, but times have changed, and there is a growing mood to eliminate waste. In line with this trend, Red Wing has decided to sell these items while ensuring their quality.
Do you repair items that have been sitting in storage before selling them?
Abe:If the sole is deteriorating or the leather is dirty, we will repair it properly before releasing it. If the sole is not worn for a long time, the traction tread sole can become hardened. Also, laces may have deteriorated, so we replace them with new ones. Of course, some of the boots were unwearable, so we could not display them in the store.
