L.L.Bean Launches First-Ever Bean Boot Collaboration with Outdoor Startup, Flowfold

Flowfold L.L.Bean Bean Boot Co-lab from L.L.Bean Public Relations on Vimeo.

Internationally recognized outdoor retailer L.L.Bean, best known for its Maine-made L.L.Bean Boots, has partnered with Maine outdoor gear startup Flowfold to produce the first co-branded L.L.Bean Boot in the company’s 107-year history. The collaboration pairs Flowfold’s cutting edge materials with L.L.Bean’s century of expertise in crafting the outdoor footwear that launched the company.

L.L.Bean’s iconic boots have been manufactured in Maine since Leon Leonwood Bean began selling the Maine Hunting Shoe in 1912. While the detailed craftsmanship has remained nearly unchanged for over a century, the brand has recently introduced small batches of boots featuring unique styles, colors, and materials. For its latest small batch, L.L.Bean turned to its ongoing partnership with another Maine outdoor brand.

Flowfold began in 2010 on Peaks Island, Maine, with college friends making wallets from recycled sailcloth and other high-tech materials. In less than a decade, Flowfold has expanded its USA manufacturing to over 30 product lines and has shipped all over the world from its new 7,500 square-foot facility in Gorham, Maine.

L.L.Bean has carried Flowfold products online and in retail stores since 2016, and in 2018 the companies announced their first collaboration with a collection of backpacks, totes, and gear bags designed in partnership and sold exclusively at L.L.Bean. The new boots utilize the same ultralight, water-resistant X-Pac sailcloth fabric of that collaborative collection.

“L.L.Bean Boots remain highly relevant today because of how innovative they were when L.L. first designed them,” said Tom Armstrong, chief merchandising officer for L.L.Bean. “We’re always proud to continue that legacy of innovation with products designed for everyone to enjoy the outdoors, and this collaboration is an exciting new step for both Bean Boots and our partnership with Flowfold.”

“We’ve brought together innovation and tradition in one of the outdoor industry’s most iconic products,” said James Morin, co-owner of Flowfold. “These boots look and feel like no other Bean Boot, and yet they’re authentic to both brands. Collaborations like this are exactly what our industry needs to stay fresh, and we are humbled to be part of the design history of this globally recognized footwear.”

The co-branded Flowfold L.L.Bean Boots for men and women retail for $139 and are available exclusively at the L.L.Bean flagship store in Freeport, Maine, and online at www.llbean.com/flowfold.