Viberg, Made to Last

Boot up.

The story of Viberg is emblematically Cana­dian. The company was founded by Swedish immigrant Edwin Viberg in Saskatchewan in 1931, then moved to Prince George to make boots for loggers in the region. In 1970 it ended up in Victoria, revolutionizing work boots by introducing a replaceable spike on the sole. In the early 2000s, Brett Viberg, grandson of the founder, collaborated with Japanese distributer Nepenthes on an exclusive model to great success and has been innovating ever since. Now, the company has its own sneaker line and has introduced women’s boots.

 

 

Despite the innovations, the original spirit of the Service Boot, Viberg’s signature footwear, remains. The company, now with a 10,000-square-foot facility in Victoria, still uses equipment from the mid-20th century. “In the manufacturing process, I have intentionally made it more complicated [by] using very traditional materials, which no one else uses,” says the third-generation Viberg. “The goal is to give our customer what I think is the most authentic or traditionally made shoe with all-natural materials.”

Viberg works with small, old-world manufacturers, including family-run tanneries across Europe. Each individual part of the boot is sourced specially for maximum quality. The iconic fit and make of the boot is unparalleled in North America. These boots are for life.

SHARE