Vanson Leathers
Fall River, Massachusetts 🇺🇸
Vanson Leathers: Handcrafted Motorcycling & Outerwear Leather, Built in Fall River, MA
Founded in 1974 by Michael van der Sleesen and Valerieetta Fleming in Boston (originally operating as Vanson Associates), Vanson Leathers is an iconic American manufacturer of high-performance motorcycle racing suits, leather jackets, vests, and accessories. Now headquartered in Fall River, Massachusetts, the company operates out of a historic textile mill where every garment is hand-built to order or in small production batches.
While many performance outerwear brands moved production overseas, Vanson has maintained an unwavering commitment to domestic manufacturing for over 50 years. By combining heavy competition-weight steerhide with hand-cutting, proprietary waxing processes, and heavy-duty sewing techniques, Vanson jackets are renowned worldwide in the racing community for extreme abrasion resistance and structural integrity.
Core Pillars & Manufacturing Principles
Historic Mill Workshop in Fall River, MA: Pattern making, hide grading, hand-cutting, embroidery, logo appliqués, sewing, and final inspections take place under one roof at their Massachusetts facility.
Competition-Weight Steerhide & Custom Tanning: Vanson utilizes heavy, full-grain chrome-tanned steerhide and cowhide engineered specifically to withstand asphalt friction, high-speed slides, and severe weather.
Unit-Number Traceability: Every Vanson leather garment features a unique, embossed serial number on an interior key fob, allowing the company to track its repair history, original owner specifications, and manufacturing date for life.
Engineered Riding Ergonomics: Designed for high-speed aerodynamics and movement, jackets feature bi-swing action backs, underarm ventilation grommets, brass hardware, wind flaps, and pockets for CE-approved impact armor.
By anchoring its workshop in Fall River and maintaining traditional hand-crafted methods, Vanson Leathers remains a benchmark for American motorcycle gear and heritage leather outerwear.
