In this Minnetonka brand review, I try out their Pile Lined Softsoles and their Classic Mocs to see if they’re the casual footwear brand for you.

For all intents and purposes, Minnetonka is a moccasin company. Even their boots are made of soft leather and plenty of fringe. Comprehensively, they’re an American heritage footwear brand that’s casual and comfort-focused.   

If you’re curious about Minnetonka, you’ve come to the right place. I’ll share my hands-on experience with two pairs of moccasins: a soft-soled pair, which are mostly for indoor use, and a rubber-soled pair, which I mainly used outdoors. 

Table of Contents

Today, their fringes go well with the camp-collared California-cool style, and their suede slip-ons can effectively round out preppy looks. What your Minnetonka shoes say about you really depends on how you style them.

The company is family-run, and is currently under fourth-generation leadership. Their tannery in the Dominican Republic is gold-certified by the Leather Working Group for environmental best practices, and their tannery in Mexico is silver-certified. They also use a tannery in China that isn’t certified. 

Now that we’re caught up, let’s take a look at the Pile Lined Softsole to begin with, then the Classic Mocs.

Minnetonka Pile Lined Softsole Slippers

I’ve been wearing these around the house for a few weeks now. Spoiler alert: They’ve become my go-to house slippers.

Design

The Softsoles have a traditional moccasin build and silhouette, with a straightforward upper. The tawny brown suede looks rich, which gives it a casual luxury look. According to Minnetonka, their suede is high-quality genuine cow, which certainly looks like the case.

The top of the upper is stiffly sewn to the sides with rawhide lace, creating a hard edge, but not a tight fit, since the suede is so soft and pliable. The raised stitching adds an arty hand-sewn design accent, which is the only hard line in the slipper’s mostly soft-structured design.