Origin

Origin launched in 2011 when Pete Roberts built a small timber-frame factory in the woods of Farmington, Maine, and officially opened operations in 2013. Roberts founded the company after a frustrating experience with a Pakistani manufacturer producing Brazilian jiu-jitsu training uniforms for his startup, discovering that his designs were being copied and sold to other brands in European countries. This experience led Roberts to create a business model centered on products "made in America without compromise," ensuring every component and material came from the United States. Origin is co-owned by Jocko Willink, a retired Navy SEAL, and has expanded from initially making Brazilian jiu-jitsu gear to producing custom boots, outdoor apparel, and more.

Origin's headquarters and primary footwear production facilities are located in Farmington, Maine, where the company operates two 20,000-square-foot facilities for manufacturing footwear and jiu-jitsu garments. The company also operates a 170,000-square-foot factory in Asheboro, North Carolina, for men's clothing production, including American-made denim jeans, fleece products, T-shirts, and chino pants. To achieve complete American manufacturing, Origin restored old looms, sourced American-grown cotton, and weaves its own denim in-house. The company sources all leather from Wisconsin's Seidel Tanning Factory and denim from Georgia's Mount Vernon Mills. Origin's location in Farmington (Franklin County, Maine) has historical significance, as the area was once home to the largest shoemaking industry in America before offshore manufacturing dominated the industry, particularly after Bass Shoe left in 1998.

Origin boots utilize a hybrid stitchdown construction method in which highly trained craftsmen stitch the uppers directly to the midsoles, which are then attached to the outsoles. The boots are built to order, allowing customers to select their preferred leather and sole combinations. Origin work boots feature a four-part sole construction consisting of a high-density PU insert, foam footbed, vegetable-tanned midsole, and Vibram lug outsole. The boots include a fiberglass shank for support, composite safety toe cap for compression hazards (ASTM F2413 certified), lined gusset for comfort and durability, and speed hooks for easy lace-up. The leather used in Origin boots is 2.5mm thick, with double layers at the backstay and toe providing 5mm of leather at the most vulnerable parts of the boot.

Origin manufactures various boot styles including the Lincoln boot with hybrid stitchdown construction and the Statesman Chelsea boot. The company offers work boots in 6-inch and 8-inch heights with safety toe options, utilizing their heritage-style hybrid construction designed for comfort and ease of movement. In 2020, Origin expanded its retail presence by opening a storefront in downtown Farmington.