Panama Jack

Panama Jack was founded in 1989 in the Alicante region of Spain by Antonio Vicente, who set up a small workshop in Elche — a city with a long shoemaking tradition — to produce handmade leather boots. Rather than shifting production abroad as the brand grew, Panama Jack has kept manufacturing in Elche, working through a network of skilled artisans who handle full-grain leather selection, hand-finishing, and stitching for each pair. The Panama 03 boot, one of the brand's original models, remains part of the current range and functions as something close to a house signature, though the company has since expanded into sandals and other footwear styles. Panama Jack ran its first magazine and newspaper advertising in 1990, the year after launch, framing the brand around outdoor adventure rather than fashion trends. The Alicante-Elche manufacturing base is central to how the company markets itself today — as Spanish-made footwear from a single regional cluster rather than a globally sourced product — distinguishing it from many boot brands that manufacture across multiple countries.