The workshop

The National Standard workshop: premium sneakers made in Portugal

Artisanal craftsmanship for premium sneakers made in Portugal

At National Standard, every pair of premium sneakers is handmade in our own workshop in Portugal. A place we know, we visit, and we’ve worked with since the beginning.

This isn’t a contractor. It’s a trusted partner, rooted in a tradition of leather, skilled hands, and patience.

We chose Portugal to make our premium sneakers for its history, its expertise, and its commitment to quality workmanship. There, shoemaking isn’t automated. It’s a slow, precise, artisanal process where every hand matters. Every stitch is checked. Every finish is refined. Every pair passes through several sets of eyes before it’s approved.

Working this way means choosing control across the entire process: human-scale production, a measured pace, direct communication, and the ability to adjust without compromising. It also means ensuring respectful, stable, sustainable working conditions. What we produce is the result of craftsmanship—not a race for profitability. We know the faces behind our sneakers. This standard is at the heart of our approach as a Paris-based premium sneaker brand. This direct relationship changes everything: it enables rigor, responsiveness, and continuity. It turns a workshop into an ally. And because it’s handmade, every pair carries a degree of uniqueness. Subtle variations, almost imperceptible details—the signature of a human touch. That’s not a flaw. It’s what makes a product feel alive, last, and earn its place over time.

What this changes for you: a more precise fit that won’t lose its shape. Strong stitching that holds up wear after wear. A pair you can wear, repair, and keep. A premium sneaker made to last—not to be replaced.

This close connection with our workshop allows us to guarantee consistent quality, innovate without compromising our standards, and stand behind a fairer production model.

Making our sneakers in Portugal means claiming a different way of producing: closer, more transparent, more committed. It also affirms our identity as a premium sneaker brand made in Portugal and designed in Paris. A way of working that gives meaning to what we make—and to what you wear.