PF Flyers
MakerAbout
PF Flyers is an American footwear brand founded in 1937 by B.F. Goodrich with the patented Posture Foundation arch support insole technology. The brand name stands for Posture Foundation. The brand expanded into canvas sneakers in 1944 with the Center-Hi model and the marketing slogan "Run Faster, Jump Higher." After changing hands through multiple owners including New Balance, the brand was acquired in 2021 by Kassia Davis, founder of KADA clothing brand and daughter of New Balance owner Jim Davis.
About
PF Flyers is an American footwear brand founded in 1937 by B.F. Goodrich with the patented Posture Foundation arch support insole technology. The brand name stands for Posture Foundation. The brand expanded into canvas sneakers in 1944 with the Center-Hi model and the marketing slogan "Run Faster, Jump Higher." After changing hands through multiple owners including New Balance, the brand was acquired in 2021 by Kassia Davis, founder of KADA clothing brand and daughter of New Balance owner Jim Davis.
History
B.F. Goodrich founded PF Flyers in 1937, building the brand around the patented Posture Foundation insole technology. The Posture Foundation insole provided structured arch support designed to improve athletic performance.
In 1944, PF Flyers released the Center-Hi canvas sneakers and their first kids' collection, creating the marketing slogan "Run Faster, Jump Higher" that would define the brand. By 1958, PF Flyers created the first athletic endorsement when they partnered with Boston Celtics player Bob Cousy. During the 1960s, the brand appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand and the Mickey Mouse Club. In the 1970s, PF Flyers became standard-issue infantry footwear in the U.S. Army and the official shoe for NASA's Gemini II astronauts. The brand created a four-issue Adventure Book comic series in 1962 to market to younger audiences.
New Balance purchased the brand in 2001 and re-launched it in 2003. On January 12, 2021, New Balance confirmed the brand had been discontinued. In 2021, Kassia Davis acquired PF Flyers, operating under Kassia Designs, LLC.
Manufacturing
PF Flyers Made in USA models were produced at a New Balance factory in Brighton, Massachusetts. Made in USA legal standards require at least 70 percent of production to occur within U.S. borders.
Current production occurs primarily in Asia. The Made in USA collection has been discontinued. When produced domestically, Made in USA models included some Sandlot styles, some Center styles, all Windjammer styles, and all Ball and Buck styles, while models not made in USA included the Grounder style, All American style, Universal Works style, and all kids styles.
Products
The signature Center Hi model features vulcanized rubber construction with canvas upper and the Posture Foundation insole providing structured arch support. The Center-Hi canvas sneakers became favorites of athletes in the 1940s.
Cultural impact
PF Flyers gained significant cultural recognition through their prominent appearance in the 1993 film The Sandlot, which featured the Center Hi model. The brand appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand and the Mickey Mouse Club during the 1960s. More recently, PF Flyers have appeared in HBO's Celtics City, Netflix's Running Point, and the 2024 version of I Know What You Did Last Summer.
References
"Our History". PF Flyers. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
"Where Are PF Flyers Made?". All American. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
"Kassia Davis Relaunches Iconic American Sneaker Brand PF Flyers". PR Newswire. July 21, 2021. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
"PF Flyers Re-Releases Legendary 'Cousy All American' Sneaker in Honor of Bob Cousy". PR Newswire. June 29, 2022. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
