Safety-First Footwear

Safety shoes and boots have long been an active niche within the licensed footwear space. These are products with features such as reinforced steel or composite toeboxes, non-slip soles, waterproofing, moisture-wicking, electrical hazard protection, and/or added cushioning, designed for use on the job site and beyond. 

Partnerships typically involve work boot and sneaker companies pairing with rough-and-tough brands from the worlds of construction machinery and tools, workwear, trucks, and the like. Other IPs, such as celebrities, sports/collegiate entities, and especially fashion labels also make their way into the category, some more often than others. 

While safety shoes are always a staple category for relevant brands, the pace of deals seems to be picking up. Here are some examples announced in the past year: 

• In June, Adidas partnered with Glo Brands, a personal protective equipment specialist, for a safety footwear line called Adidas Pro Work, marking the former’s first step into personal protective products. The inaugural range, debuting in Europe in August, includes styles for both men and women. 
• This past April, jobsite equipment brand Bobcat licensed SCL Footwear Group for a line of branded work boots. The range debuted on Walmart.com, featuring the Bobcat men’s Titan Tire Tread waterproof steel-toe work boot and three other styles. Retail prices range from $79.99 to $109.99. 
• In March 2026, Ford paired with Timberland for work boots under the Ford F-150 truck brand. The Timberland PRO x Ford Boondock six-inch waterproof work boots boast a unique feature: molded rubber toe caps replicating the badged front grille of an F-150, among other branded design elements. 
• Tool brand DeWalt paired with the McLaren Formula 1 team for a line of workwear that debuted on retail shelves in early 2026 as part of a broader marketing and promotional partnership. The initial range of products included two safety footwear models, a pair of lightweight aluminum safety-toe work shoes and a pair of waterproof, composite safety-toe work boots, both for men. DeWalt Footwear is the brand’s licensee for all footwear styles. 
• Wolverine released a limited-edition safety boot in conjunction with the University of Michigan, announced in September 2025. The Wolverine x Valiant University of Michigan Maker Wedge Boot was billed as appropriate for occasions “from the jobsite to the tailgate.” The styles featured Michigan’s maize-and-blue color scheme. 

These examples join a long list of previous partnerships that includes Skechers pairing with John Deere (2024), Shaquille O’Neal and longtime sneaker partner Reebok introducing their first safety shoe (2024), Brunt Workwear acquiring rights for work boots from construction equipment brand Case (2023), and Wolverine collaborating with Lucky Brand (2022), among many more. 

Watch your inbox for Raugust Communications’ July e-newsletter, which goes out next Tuesday, July 21, 2026. The Licensing Topic of the Month is a discussion of how the owners of struggling retail brands are repositioning these nameplates for success post-merger and/or post-bankruptcy. The Datapoint research spotlight focuses on licensing and collaboration deals in the world of soccer/football. If you are not yet a subscriber to this free publication, you can sign up here.