# Roots

> Roots is a Toronto-based premium outdoor-lifestyle company that sells fleece, casual apparel, leather goods, footwear and accessories through stores, ecommerce and international partners. Founded in 1973 by Michael Budman and Don Green after they met at an Algonquin Park summer camp, it turned a peculiar negative-heel shoe into a broad consumer brand whose most durable assets are comfort, Canadian cultural recognition and leather craftsmanship still practiced in Toronto.

- **Founded:** 1973
- **Headquarters:** Toronto, Canada
- **Founders:** Michael Budman (Co-founder), Don Green (Co-founder)
- **Team size:** Approximately 2,000 employees in Canada; LinkedIn lists 1,001-5,000 employees and more than 2,300 profiles.
- **Products:** Sport Root Shoe, Salt & Pepper Sweats, Varsity Jacket, Roots Genuine Leather, Apparel for adults and children
- **Notable:** The first Sport Root Shoe sold out by the end of August 1973 and generated a waiting list., Built a network of more than 100 company-operated stores in Canada and more than 100 partner-operated stores in Asia., Reached its 50th anniversary in 2023.

## Products & services

- **Sport Root Shoe** — The original negative-heel comfort shoe that launched the company.
- **Salt & Pepper Sweats** — Signature premium-fleece sweats recognized for their marled knit and soft hand feel.
- **Varsity Jacket** — A leather classic still designed and handcrafted in Canada.
- **Roots Genuine Leather** — Bags, jackets and select accessories made by artisans at the Toronto Leather Factory.
- **Apparel for adults and children** — Sweats, tops, bottoms, outerwear, activewear and seasonal collections for women, men, kids, toddlers and babies.
- **Footwear and accessories** — Casual footwear, socks, hats, small leather goods, bags and lifestyle accessories.
- **Ecommerce and retail** — Direct shopping through company stores and roots.com, with international shipping and omnichannel services.
- **Wholesale, licensing and co-branded sales** — Partner-operated international stores, third-party retail, licensed categories and business-to-business customization.

## Achievements

- The first Sport Root Shoe sold out by the end of August 1973 and generated a waiting list.
- Built a network of more than 100 company-operated stores in Canada and more than 100 partner-operated stores in Asia.
- Reached its 50th anniversary in 2023.
- Listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under ticker ROOT in 2017.
- Maintains a leather factory in Toronto that has been operated by three generations of one craft family.
- Reported record gross margin of 61.3% in fiscal 2025, alongside C$277.7 million in sales.
- Roots Cares has donated more than C$4 million to community and environmental initiatives since 2020.
- The beaver artwork created by Heather Cooper in 1976 became one of Canada's widely recognized retail marks.

## Latest updates

- **2026-06** — Roots reported fiscal 2026 first-quarter sales of C$42.6 million, up 6.5%, and a C$10.1 million net loss while progressing a strategic review and distribution-centre transition.
- **2026-04** — Fiscal 2025 sales rose 5.6% to C$277.7 million; gross margin reached 61.3%, net income was C$4.7 million and net debt fell 42% to C$4.3 million.
- **2026-03** — The board commenced a strategic review intended to maximize shareholder value; the company said possible outcomes could include a sale.
- **2026-01** — Roots announced Metro Supply Chain as its strategic merchandise-distribution partner.
- **2025-12** — Third-quarter fiscal 2025 performance included continued comparable-sales momentum attributed to product reception, marketing and store execution.
- **2025-09** — Second-quarter comparable sales increased 17.8%, supported by collaborations, assortment and customer-experience work.

## Links

- Website: https://www.roots.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/roots/
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/ROOTS
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/RootsCanada
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roots/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roots/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@roots/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/roots
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-15