Timberland’s story begins in 1918, when Timberland® founder, Nathan Swartz, began his bootmaking career as an apprentice stitcher. With his own hands, he cut leather, stitched seams, attached soles and learned how to craft fine leather boots. In 1973, “Timberland®” was the brand name for the original waterproof leather boot, a revoluntionary concept in its time. When the boot’s popularity grew, the company name was officially changed to The Timberland® Company