employee-owned footwear manufacturer

Weinbrenner Shoe Company / Thorogood

An employee-owned Wisconsin footwear manufacturer best known for Thorogood work boots and other durable shoes. Weinbrenner Shoe Company / Thorogood scores well because ownership is comparatively aligned and the model leaves more value with stakeholders, and no current penalty outweighs that structure.

Why this matters: Weinbrenner is a useful footwear option because employee ownership and domestic production constrain ordinary apparel-sector extraction, though governance is not fully cooperative.

Letter grade B Qualified Medium confidence (AI) Rubric gcd-rubric-v1 Last reviewed May 11, 2026

Final Score 46* B - Qualified

BQUALIFIED46 pts

* Tentative scaffolding score. Not human-checked or final.

Base Material45

Bonus+1

Cap66No structure cap

After Cap46

Penalties0

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Evaluation Overview

B - Qualified

The score turns mainly on Ownership; no penalty currently dominates the evaluation.

Strengths

Ownership7/10
Extraction6/10
Governance5/10

Penalties

No penalties applied in this version.

Evidence state

ConfidenceMedium confidence (AI)
ThoroughnessDeveloped (AI)
Linked claims3
Direct axis claims3
Coverage3/10

Scoring Axes

Axis	Score	Why this score
Ownership ? Control rights: shareholder-dominated at 0, worker cooperative control at 10.	7 / 10	Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. That places Weinbrenner Shoe Company / Thorogood in the middle of Ownership: there is some mission, member, producer, or public-interest constraint, but decisive control is not fully democratic. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Linked evidence Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. [1]
Governance ? Binding decision authority: centralized control at 0, democratic stakeholder control at 10.	5 / 10	Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. That places Weinbrenner Shoe Company / Thorogood in the middle of Governance: there are accountability mechanisms, but they stop short of broad democratic control. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Linked evidence context Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. [1] context Weinbrenner sells durable work footwear under brands including Thorogood, is relevant to Product Integrity credit because repair-resistant ordinary goods rather than disposable fashion. [2]
Extraction ? Surplus allocation, wage share, CEO pay ratio, margins, and structured extraction judgment.	6 / 10	Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. That places Weinbrenner Shoe Company / Thorogood in the middle of Extraction: the institution creates real value but still leaves room for rent extraction, unequal bargaining, or surplus capture. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Linked evidence context Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. [1] context Weinbrenner sells durable work footwear under brands including Thorogood, is relevant to Product Integrity credit because repair-resistant ordinary goods rather than disposable fashion. [2]
Labor Sovereignty ? Worker power: coercive conditions at 0, co-determination or ownership at 7. Employee dissatisfaction matters only when source-backed evidence shows concrete limits on worker agency, such as coercive scheduling, retaliation, wage theft, harassment, unsafe conditions, suppression of worker voice, or extreme turnover.	5 / 7	Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. That places Weinbrenner Shoe Company / Thorogood in the middle of Labor Sovereignty: workers or participants have some protection or agency, but not enough binding power to control the relationship. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Linked evidence context Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. [1] context Weinbrenner sells durable work footwear under brands including Thorogood, is relevant to Product Integrity credit because repair-resistant ordinary goods rather than disposable fashion. [2]
Solidarity with the Unemployed ? Treatment of exits and nonworkers, including severance, redeployment, and non-competes.	4 / 7	Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. That places Weinbrenner Shoe Company / Thorogood in the middle of Solidarity with the Unemployed: some access, severance, retraining, openness, or mutual-aid value is present, but it is not central or durable. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Linked evidence context Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. [1] context Weinbrenner sells durable work footwear under brands including Thorogood, is relevant to Product Integrity credit because repair-resistant ordinary goods rather than disposable fashion. [2]
Loss-Bearing Fidelity ? Willingness to absorb costs to preserve values, workers, users, and public obligations.	5 / 7	Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. That places Weinbrenner Shoe Company / Thorogood in the middle of Loss-Bearing Fidelity: there is some willingness to preserve obligations, but the record still leaves meaningful risk-shifting concerns. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Linked evidence context Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. [1] context Weinbrenner sells durable work footwear under brands including Thorogood, is relevant to Product Integrity credit because repair-resistant ordinary goods rather than disposable fashion. [2]
Market Conduct ? Pricing fairness, switching costs, lock-in, and rent extraction.	4 / 5	Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. That places Weinbrenner Shoe Company / Thorogood high on Market Conduct: pricing, access, switching, and bargaining practices show restraint compared with ordinary rent-seeking competitors. A still-higher or maximum value requires stronger proof that this structure is durable, broad, and not merely discretionary. Linked evidence context Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. [1] context Weinbrenner sells durable work footwear under brands including Thorogood, is relevant to Product Integrity credit because repair-resistant ordinary goods rather than disposable fashion. [2]
Product Integrity ? Preservation of quality rather than degradation for monetization.	5 / 5	Weinbrenner sells durable work footwear under brands including Thorogood, is relevant to Product Integrity credit because repair-resistant ordinary goods rather than disposable fashion. Weinbrenner sells durable work footwear under brands including Thorogood, is relevant to Product Integrity credit because repair-resistant ordinary goods rather than disposable fashion. That places Weinbrenner Shoe Company / Thorogood high on Product Integrity: the core offering is genuinely useful and comparatively less dependent on traps, degradation, or harmful dependencies. A still-higher or maximum value requires stronger proof that this structure is durable, broad, and not merely discretionary. Linked evidence Weinbrenner sells durable work footwear under brands including Thorogood, is relevant to Product Integrity credit because repair-resistant ordinary goods rather than disposable fashion. [2]
Scale Integrity ? Whether growth improves or degrades fairness and accountability.	4 / 5	Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. That places Weinbrenner Shoe Company / Thorogood high on Scale Integrity: growth appears compatible with accountability, quality, and stakeholder benefit. A still-higher or maximum value requires stronger proof that this structure is durable, broad, and not merely discretionary. Linked evidence context Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership. [1] context Weinbrenner sells durable work footwear under brands including Thorogood, is relevant to Product Integrity credit because repair-resistant ordinary goods rather than disposable fashion. [2]

Penalties

No penalties applied in this version.

Bonus Credits

Bonus	Credit	Why this credit
Good Deal ? Credit for unusually fair value: durable quality, fair pricing, low lock-in, and clear customer surplus.	1 / 3	The company’s durable work-boot focus and employee-owned structure support a limited Good Deal bonus compared with ordinary short-life footwear. The company’s durable work-boot focus and employee-owned structure support a limited Good Deal bonus compared with ordinary short-life footwear. That supports partial Good Deal credit because ordinary users receive unusually fair value, durability, access, or surplus. The value remains partial because the linked record does not show the practice as comprehensive, durable, or central enough for full credit. Linked evidence The company’s durable work-boot focus and employee-owned structure support a limited Good Deal bonus compared with ordinary short-life footwear. [3]

Confidence Basis

Confidence is computed from the evidence trail and review state, not typed into the profile by hand.

Medium 68/100

3 verified linked claims 3 direct axis claims 0 disputed claims 3/10 components covered

This confidence label measures the source-backed evidence trail. AI-scaffolded scores remain tentative until human review.

Claim confidence 20/20

3 verified linked claims

Source quality 10/18

Best source per verified claim, weighted by institutional reliability

Direct axis-specific claims 6/18

3 direct claims across 10 active components

Dispute load 12/12

0 disputed claims on this entity

Recency 10/10

Newest accepted timestamp: May 13, 2026

Reviewer status 7/12

Human-reviewed components score higher than AI scaffolding

Component coverage 3/10

3/10 evidence-bearing components have direct support

Evidence State

Profile stateAI draft / human-pending

VerificationUnverified

ConfidenceMedium confidence (AI)

ThoroughnessDeveloped (AI)

Correction routeUse “Challenge this rating” for factual errors, missing counterevidence, source problems, or calculation mistakes.

Company responseCompany representatives can submit source-backed corrections; payment never changes scores or reviewer authority.

Claims and Sources

Claims are the evidence record. Each claim needs a source link, axis category, status, confidence level, and timestamp before it can support a score.

* Tentative scaffolding score. Not human-checked or final.

1Weinbrenner Shoe Company presents itself as an employee-owned footwear manufacturer, describes conduct considered under Ownership.

Ownership Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 11, 2026

AI scaffold

Weinbrenner Shoe CompanyGeneral web source · 58%

2Weinbrenner sells durable work footwear under brands including Thorogood, is relevant to Product Integrity credit because repair-resistant ordinary goods rather than disposable fashion.

Product Integrity Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 11, 2026

AI scaffold

Weinbrenner Shoe CompanyGeneral web source · 58%

3The company’s durable work-boot focus and employee-owned structure support a limited Good Deal bonus compared with ordinary short-life footwear.

Good Deal Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 11, 2026

AI scaffold

Weinbrenner Shoe CompanyGeneral web source · 58%

Alternatives

AGOOD58 Blue Tin Production worker-owned apparel manufacturing cooperative · same market

Competitors

AGOOD58 Blue Tin Production worker-owned apparel manufacturing cooperative · same market DEXTRACTIVE15 Levi Strauss & Co. public company · same market DEXTRACTIVE14 Fast Retailing / Uniqlo public company · same market DEXTRACTIVE11 lululemon public company · same market DEXTRACTIVE10 Adidas public company · same market DEXTRACTIVE7 Nike public company · same market DEXTRACTIVE1 Inditex / Zara public company · same market DEXTRACTIVE0 Gap Inc. public company · same market

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Evidence comes in through contributors, is checked by verifiers, and is synthesized by reviewers. Founder authority remains narrow and visible; scores recalculate when verified claims or the rubric change.

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