Hey Dude Shoes are making a name for themselves all over the world. These light-as-air, bare-foot-feeling shoes have taken up a prominent spot in the uber cool, fashion shoe space. Not only are they spot-on-trend but they offer up the most comfortable walking experience.
They are in demand, but where can you buy them and where are they made?
Hey Dudes although designed in Italy and distributed from the U.S. are manufactured in China and Indonesia. 95% of Hey Dudes are sold in the U.S. Hey Dude’s manufacturing and supply chain policies ensure that the brand’s high standards are met in all of their factories and that no laborers are exploited.
Here is a photo of the inside heel of my pair of Hey Dudes, where you can see the manufacturing location stamped as ‘China’:
The manufacturing location should always be stamped inside the shoe, as pictured above.
Check out the current price of Hey Dudes here, on their official Amazon store (that’s where I get my pairs from).
The Dudes are in high demand and with this comes the requirement for fast, quality production and fine-tuned logistics and supply chains. The challenge for the brand and its owners was how to meet this demand without compromising on all the good things that Hey Dude stands for.
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Hey Dudes are an Italian Brand not Manufactured in Italy
Hey Dudes arrived on the shoe scene in 2008 when Alessandro and Dario, two Italian shoemakers created a shoe that checked all boxes for style, comfort and eco friendliness. A success story was born.
The popularity of the shoes exploded and by June 2010 they made their debut in the U.S. Although Hey Dudes are an Italian brand they were never manufactured in Italy but in China and Indonesia.
You may also like: Where Are Crocs Made? A Crocs FAQ Guide
Crocs Inc. Acquired Hey Dudes
Alessandro and Dario had long admired Croc shoes and their comfort and practicality was the inspiration for the stylish, super-comfy Hey Dudes. With the overwhelming success of sales in the U.S., the Italian shoe specialists sold Hey Dudes to Crocs Inc. in 2022. The sale made headline news and the deal worth $2.5 billion required a dynamic shift in strategy to maximize the investment.
The purchase prompted a sales strategy in which Crocs Inc. plans to undertake world-wide distribution by 2024. Given the popularity of Hey Dudes, this goal is attainable but requires a more robust manufacturing and distribution channel. Because of this, additional production facilities became a necessity and Indonesia was added as a place to manufacture.
The Dudes are now made in both China and Indonesia and plans are afoot to expand the manufacturing and distribution network even wider.
A large part of the success of the Crocs brand is its excellent logistics and supply chain management. The same principles have been applied to the distribution of Hey Dudes and contributed to the brand’s success in the U.S. Currently 95% of sales are generated in the U.S.
Chinese and Indonesian foot wear suppliers often have minimum order quantities and prices decrease in scale according to volume. This is yet another logical reason for Crocs Inc. to increase warehouse capacity.
China Ranks as the Top Footwear Manufacturer
Manufacturing Hey Dudes in China made economic sense. China is known as the ‘World’s Factory’ due to:
- The low wages workers are paid, although reports of Chinese sweat shops and child labor are no longer as common as they were before. (This was always a concern for brands manufacturing shoes in Asian countries)
- Efficient manufacturing
- Logistical ecosystem
- Relaxed regulations
- China is quicker and bulk orders are produced and shipped hassle free and on time.
- Heavy machinery is made in China so repairs and replacement parts are easier to come by and downtime is not as long.
In 2022 China produced more than 50% of the world’s shoes all at considerably lower cost than the country of origin was able to do. Interestingly, 95% of American shoes are made in China.
Hey Dudes are made from a range of materials including:
- Leather
- Suede
- Cotton canvas
- Woven texture cotton
- Cork
- Polyester for soles and laces
- Memory foam
Raw material is cheaper in China and Indonesia, so the combined price of manufacturing and shipping the Hey Dude shoes still beats that of producing the shoes in the U.S.
Quality control in Chinese production has improved dramatically and shoe brands no longer have the same quality concerns as in previous years.
Indonesia is in the Top Ten Shoe Manufacturing Countries
The Croc company previously made use of Vietnamese production facilities, however during Covid they ran into production problems and delays. This prompted the inclusion of Indonesia as a manufacturer.
Indonesia has grown its shoe manufacturing capacity in recent years and ranks 4th on a global production quantity sale. Although labor is not as cheap in Indonesia the sheer size of the workforce enables greater volume production and shorter lead times from manufacturer to distribution centers.
Crocs Inc. is the Distribution Center for Hey Dudes in the U.S.
Putting your feet into a pair of Hey Dudes feels like walking around in your most comfortable pair of slippers and giving your feet a treat at the end of the day, but where do you buy them?
Hey Dudes are shipped from China to the Crocs. Inc warehouse. Although the Hey Dude headquarters are located at7401 Hollywood Blvd 2, Los Angeles, California, 90046, United States. Starting in the 4th quarter of 2023 Hey Dude’s will be distributed from a brand new warehouse situated in North Las Vegas.
It’s a 73,000 square foot warehouse and will be used to improve and increase distribution to wholesalers throughout the United States.
The Hey Dude website states that Hey Dudes are not currently not shipped internationally and shipping during busy times takes up to 10 days. So upping warehouse capacity to accommodate increased production makes perfect sense.
Chinese and Indonesian foot wear suppliers often have minimum order quantities and prices decrease in scale according to volume. This is yet another logical reason for Crocs Inc. to increase warehouse capacity.
There’s a Downside to Producing Shoes in China and Indonesia
Although both Indonesia and China produce volume at speed there are downsides to production. From a footwear perspective standardizing size can become a challenge for shoe wearers.
Fortunately, the Hey Dude website has an easy-to-understand sizing chart and it is imperative that when buying online you pay close attention to sizes and measurements. If you choose to buy from any other retailers’ online sites, please refer back to the Hey Dude site to check exact measurements. Retailers may use their own size guide which could differ from Hey Dude sizes.
The website provides measurements from heel to toe. Hey Dude recommends that you select a size smaller if you want a tight fit or have narrower feet, conversely if you have broad feet or want a looser fit, buy a size bigger.
Look Out For Hey Dude Knock-Offs
Contrary to previous perceptions about products in manufactured in China, Hey Dudes made in China or Indonesia are the real deal. Buying a pair of these ‘light as a feather’ slip-ons that say made in the U.S. is a guarantee that your shoes are fake.
If you decide to buy Hey Dudes online from China or Indonesia be sure to verify that the shoes are not Hey Dude inspired but are the originals. A good idea is to check pricing against U.S pricing averages. If the shoes are priced considerably lower than U.S. prices, rather don’t make the purchase.
Another important check is that most authentic Hey Dudes all have memory foam, removal leather inner soles or cork soles. Scanning through various online websites many of the Hey Dude imitations do not specify the leather or cork inner soles. The real deals also feature cushioned ankle support, so look for this in descriptions and on website images.
Furthermore, take cognizance of unbelievable sale discounts or extremely low prices on bulk orders, these are fake shoe sites. Also check spelling on the site, scam sites will often have slightly incorrect spelling. Verify the site’s contact details. Your best bet is to buy from the official U.S. Hey Dude’s site, heydude.com.
Hey Dudes has a Thorough Supply Chain Policy
The Hey Dudes website outlines their California Transparency in Supply Chains Act Disclosure. In a nutshell the disclosure details the following:
- The company carefully considers the factories they select to produce shoes and strives to comply with international labor laws and human rights standards.
- Hey Dude is committed to the cause of eradicating forced labor such as child labor, compulsory labor and slavery.
- All Hey Dude’s factories and tier 2 suppliers are mandated to sign a compliance statement that covering hiring practices, local laws, customs and working conditions.
- Supplier evaluation includes stringent quality checks.
- Contracted manufacturers are audited twice annually to verify that labor practices comply with Hey Dude’s standards. Companies that don’t comply could face cancellation of orders.
- All workers who are responsible for overseeing production are trained to ensure that they are aware of fair and legal labor practices.
Conclusion
Although Hey Dude is an Italian brand, owned by Crocs in the USA, shoes are manufactured in China and Indonesia and shipped the Hey Dude distribution center in the U.S. China and Indonesia provide quality production, supply chain efficiencies and high-volume production. This makes economic sense. Quality controls and labor practices are closely monitored and audited by Hey Dudes.
For more footwear manufacturing content, check out:
Where Are Converse Made? Production FAQs Guide
Where Are Doc Martens Made? Production FAQ Guide
Where Are UGGs Made? UGG Boots FAQs Guide
