With 220 years of experience and expertise, Start-rite are dedicated to creating quality, durable, stylish-fitted footwear designed especially for children of all ages.
Start-rite history dates back to 1792 in Norwich, where Start-rite head office is still based today. James Smith was a cordwainer (or leather worker) based in a small shop behind Norwich market. He was the first shoemaker in the country to offer an alternative to expensive bespoke footwear by offering ready-made, off-the-peg shoes to a wider audience. The name “Start-rite” was first used in the early 1920s by Quant & Son, a shoe retailer in Bury St Edmunds and was purchased by Southalls (as it was known) for exclusive use in 1921 – the year Start-rite brand was born. James Southall opened a factory on the outskirts of Norfolk to produce children’s shoes with the growing awareness that children’s shoes needed to be made different to adult shoes allowing room for growth.
Now in an eight generation family business, Start-rite have been trusted by generations of parents to care for their children’s feet. Through a network of over 400 independent and multiple retailers across the UK and internationally, and the rise of Online Retailers such as Shoes for School website, it’s never been easier to source out fitted footwear.
The Start-rite commitment - ‘We want to help parents make the best and most informed decisions when it comes to providing for their children’s feet, for every step of their development by offering comfort and protection they need along the way’