Indonesian Chucks and American Chucks Compared

I have gotten E-mail from a number of people who said, "I'm not going to buy Chucks when they start coming from China!" Well, the new ones come from Indonesia... and they seem to be doing a good job of making them.

My General Impressions:

Sewing quality has improved dramatically. Even on the "American-made" Chucks, it was done in Mexico for a number of years.
They are hard to tell apart.

Reader Comments:

One writer commented: "Co-workers and friends of mine have all bought Indonesian shoes recently. Within a month, and without exception, the rubber sole began coming apart from the canvas near the ball of the foot area, and on both shoes, and on both sides of each shoe."

Ankle Patches:

This is the ankle patch on the American made Chuck. Note the extra bit of flashing left at the top. Also, the patch is thinner and shinier compared to the one on the Indonesian made Chuck.

This is the ankle patch on the Indonesian made Chuck. The "Converse All Star" name is not as bold as that printed on the American made Chuck, but the "Chuck Taylor" signature is darker. Also, no flashing along the top of the roundel.

Heel Patches:

This is the heel patch on the American made Chuck.

This is the heel patch on the Indonesian made Chuck. Other than the "®" is slightly smaller, and the country of origin is missing, the two appear equivalent.

Inside Tongue Label:

This is the inside tongue label on the American made Chuck (the last few years of production). It only consists of a bar code intended for anti-piracy purposes.

This is the inside tongue label on the Indonesian made Chuck. It is more consistent with typical shoe labeling.

The labeling on the insole and outsole of the two Chucks are the same, except the Indonesian made Chuck omits "Made in U. S. A." (thereby keeping the US Customs Service happy).

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Last Updated: 21 February 2017

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