One of the oldest footwear companies in the world, New Balance was founded in 1906 in Boston, Massachusetts. While initially marketing their shoes with an arch support at people who had a job that required them to stand for long consecutive hours, the company soon started entering the athletic market by making running shoes. New Balance is also one of the last global brands that still produces a large share of their shoes in the United States and United Kingdom. With the noticeable bump in quality fabrics & workmanship.