The Rite Stuff x Papa Nui x John Lofgren "Amoskeag Denim" Champion Sneakers

The Amoskeag Manufacturing Company of Manchester, New Hampshire was at one point the largest textile producer in the world, and its denim went into Levi's earliest workwear in the nineteenth century. The uppers of these sneakers are cut from a 10.5oz indigo denim milled in Japan to reproduce that 1800s Amoskeag cloth — denim that will crease, fade and build character with wear exactly the way a pair of jeans does.

The project is the first three-way collaboration between The Rite Stuff, Papa Nui and John Lofgren Bootmaker, and production went to the maker best suited to it: Moonstar of Kurume, founded in 1873. Moonstar is one of the last factories keeping traditional ka-ryu kiln vulcanization alive. Each pair is assembled by hand at the Kurume plant and then fired in a kiln at 120°C for roughly 70 minutes; the heat cures the natural rubber and bonds it permanently to the upper. Only a handful of craftsmen still master the process, and it produces a shoe that stays flexible, holds its shape, and cannot be reproduced by modern mass production.

The sneakers are built on the Champion last in a D (medium) width, with vulcanized double-layer rubber soles, reinforced edges and double stitching at every stress point. The eyelets and vents are made in Japan, the insole is a dense sponge, and the 100% cotton laces are made in Japan as well. Each pair arrives in a Japanese-made John Lofgren Bootmaker box — a warm-weather sneaker built to the same standard as the heritage garments it is meant to be worn with. Made in Japan.

Fit Notes: These sneakers use sizing similar to Moonstar, which runs slightly large. We recommend sizing down one from your usual US size — especially if you are between sizes or prefer to wear these with thinner socks. If you have wider feet, you may prefer to stay with your usual size for a more comfortable fit. As always, we strongly recommend checking our size chart to find your perfect fit.