Ice skating is a popular winter activity that allows people to glide across icy surfaces for recreation, sport, and transportation. To skate smoothly and safely, having a good pair of ice skates is essential. Riedell is one of the most well-known and trusted brands when it comes to ice skates. But where exactly are Riedell ice skates made?
An Overview of Riedell Skates
Riedell Skates is a company based in Red Wing, Minnesota that has been making ice skates and roller skates since 1945. They offer recreational and competitive figure skates, hockey skates, and roller skates for both indoor and outdoor use. Some key things to know about Riedell ice skates include:
- They offer skates for beginner, intermediate, and advanced skaters
- Their skates are designed to be comfortable while still offering support and responsiveness
- They use quality materials like leather, steel, mesh, and foam in their skates
- Some of their popular ice skate models include Riedell 10, 53, 110, 113, and 265
- Many competitive figure skaters wear Riedell boots and blades
Riedell has earned a reputation for good performance, comfort, and durability over the decades. Their ice skates are trusted by recreational and competitive skaters alike. But where are these quality skates manufactured?
Riedell Production Facilities
For much of its history, Riedell has manufactured its ice skates and other skate products right at its headquarters in Red Wing, Minnesota. Their original factory was located in downtown Red Wing but moved to the current larger facility on the outskirts of town in the 1990s.
Riedell’s 90,000 square foot Red Wing factory employs over 250 people. This factory handles the bulk of Riedell’s production in the United States. Some of the processes carried out at the Red Wing facility include:
- Cutting and stitching leather uppers
- Molding and shaping boot soles
- Grinding and finishing skate blades
- Assembling boots and mounting blades
- Packaging finished skates
Having everything under one roof allows for tight quality control during the manufacturing process. However, this single facility could not keep up with growing demand for Riedell products. So in 2006, Riedell opened a second production factory in China to increase their manufacturing capabilities.
Riedell’s Factory in China
In 2006, Riedell partnered with a Chinese manufacturing company to open a factory in Dongguan, China. This 50,000 square foot factory employs around 250 workers who manufacture some of Riedell’s recreational ice and roller skates. The Riedell skates made in China include:
- Soft recreational skates like the Riedell Skate 10 and Riedell 111
- Vinyl and other non-leather skates
- Most roller skates
Riedell chose China for some of their production because of the experienced workforce available there and lower labor costs compared to the United States. While Chinese-made Riedell skates follow the same designs and use similar materials to their American counterparts, there are some differences. These include:
- More hand craftsmanship is used in the U.S. factory
- The premium Riedell ice boots are still made in the U.S.
- Blades are mounted to boots in the U.S. for better quality control
Riedell maintains ownership and oversight of the Chinese factory to ensure quality standards. But the lower costs allow them to offer competitively priced recreational skates to customers. Having both American and Chinese production allows Riedell to meet global demand while still keeping some premium manufacturing in the United States.
Where Specific Riedell Models Are Made
To summarize where different Riedell ice skate models are manufactured:
| Riedell Skates | Made In |
|---|---|
| Recreational vinyl/non-leather skates like 10, 111, and 120 | China |
| Recreational leather skates like 117, 125, and 255 | China |
| Intermediate level skates like 113 and 265 | United States |
| Advanced skates like the Riedell 695, 595, and 335 Gold | United States |
| Nearly all figure skating boots like Diamonds, Emeralds, and Platinums | United States |
As you can see, the softer vinyl recreational skates make up most of Riedell’s Chinese production, while higher performance boots are still made in the United States. The Riedell factory in Red Wing focuses on premium boots, while outsourcing some introductory models to China where costs are lower.
Quality Control Across Riedell Factories
Riedell does enforce stringent quality control at both their Red Wing headquarters and their factory in China. Some of their quality control measures include:
- Careful inspection of materials from suppliers
- Inspection of parts at multiple points during assembly
- Final multi-point inspection of all finished skates
- Blade sharpening and mounting done only in the U.S.
- Testing skate performance under harsh conditions
These QA efforts help ensure that Riedell’s standards of comfort, support, and durability are met consistently across their models. Riedell is also known for their excellent customer service, and will address any product issues or defects that arise despite quality control.
Riedell Continues to Call Minnesota Home
While global expansion to China has been a part of Riedell’s growth, their headquarters and main production hub remains in Red Wing, Minnesota just like it has for decades. The company has a long history in the state, dating back to founder Paul Riedell making his first pair of skates in 1945.
Some reasons why Minnesota remains the heart of Riedell Skates include:
- Their experienced workforce skilled in skate-making
- Closer oversight over premium skate production
- Easy distribution of North American orders
- Strong community ties in Red Wing
Riedell has been a major employer in Red Wing for almost 80 years. And the residents of Red Wing are surely proud that this iconic Minnesota brand still manufactures its high-end skates locally. Between the two factories in Red Wing and China, Riedell is able to satisfy demand for its skates worldwide while staying true to its Minnesota roots.
Conclusion
Riedell ice skates are made primarily at the company’s long-time Red Wing, Minnesota factory as well as their newer facility in Dongguan, China. Simple recreational skates make up most of the Chinese production, while intermediate and advanced boots are still hand-crafted in Minnesota. This two-factory setup allows Riedell to balance quality and cost as they serve the global skate market. While expanding overseas, Riedell remains committed to local Minnesota manufacturing, especially for their high-end boots. Skaters can trust they are getting a finely made product whether they choose a Riedell skate made in China or the United States.