How Does a Factory Make Shoes?

Shoes are one of those products that we wear daily and is a necessity. Although this is a necessity, no
one ever seems to ever wonder how the shoes that everyone wears are produced. Well in the
manufacturing process there are many steps, parts of a shoe and as well as materials. Shoe making can
or is considered a traditional handicraft profession. There are many parts to a shoe such as the sole,
insole, outsole, midsole, heel, and vamp or upper. More than 200 operations are required for making a
pair of shoes. However, with the development of modern machines, a pair of shoes can be made in very
less time as each step in its manufacturing is generally performed by a separate footwear making
machine. There are also many departments when it comes to manufacturing the product such as click
or cutting department that deals with the top part of the shoe and use leather or other materials to cut
out various shapes that will eventually for the upper. It is the first process in the making of a pair of
shoes. However, there are many other steps of making shoes which are given below step by step.

Step 1: Designing
Designing entails sketching shoe models and lasts. The resulting templates are crucial to the shoe
production process.

Shoe production begins with the preparation of a detailed drawing of the type of shoe that is to be
made. This drawing is done by hand or by computer and depicts the men's shoe model from all angles.
These are the guys with the creative vision. The people who know what makes a shoe look good AND
perform well. The client provides initial sketches and the in-house designers refine them to ensure
they’re technically correct for the shoemaking process.

Step 2: The Shoe Last Department

Shoe lasts lay the groundwork for quality men's shoes. Perfectly fitting shoes can only be made with the
use of a perfect last. Shoe lasts were already in use in antiquity, but quickly sank into oblivion. The best
lasts are made of beech wood.
Shoe lasts are three-dimensional moulds shaped like simplified human feet and are usually made of
wood. Men's shoes are built around lasts during the later stages of shoe construction. As such, lasts are
an extremely important element of shoemaking. Perfectly fitting shoes can only be made with the use of
a perfect last. By considering the balls of the foot, heels, and instep, as well as how heel height changes
the rolling motion of the foot, lasts determine the fit of the completed shoe. That includes how a foot
rolls when one walks and how this will affect factors such as heel height.

Step 3: Stamping and Sewing

The pieces of leather required for shoemaking are cut out and marked during the stamping stage in
order to prevent confusion later.

The shaft pieces are stamped in order to prevent confusion when they are stitched together later on.
Once the individual shaft pieces have been stamped, the points on each piece where said piece will later
be attached to others are also marked. In order to make it as easy as possible to do so, the edges of each
shaft piece are thinned. The places where eyelets will be punched in are also marked. If the shoes are to
feature decorative perforation, holes are stamped into the leather.

Sewing:

During the sewing stage, the pieces of leather that have been cut out to make the shoe are stitched
together. First, the pieces composing the upper are sewn together, followed by the lining. The
completed shaft is reinforced with a toe cap and counter.
In order to prevent the pieces of leather from slipping out of place, they are initially attached to one
another at the edges with dots of glue. First, the upper is stitched together, followed by the lining. After
both have been sewn together, the seams are neatened.

Step 4: Assembling the Shoe

Assembling constitutes the core component of the shoemaking process. This stage involves building a
premium, Goodyear-welted men's shoe from several materials.

First, the insole is temporarily affixed beneath the shoe lasts with three nails. Next, the rubber ridge is
attached to the insole, which makes it easier to stitch the shaft to the welt later. The laced shoe shaft is
then stretched and adjusted over the last and fixed to the insole with nails and hot glue.

The leather is left to rest for a while on the last—the goal is to perfectly and lastingly mould the leather
around the shape of the last. This stage of the process can take from half an hour to two weeks.

Types of Shoe Construction

Goodyear welting is an intricate shoemaking process dating back to 1872. Using three nails, the first step
is to temporarily attach the insole below the shoe last. Then a rubber ridge is fixed to the insole – this
makes stitching the shaft to the Goodyear welt easier later. The shaft is laced and fitted over the last. It’s
then attached to the insole using hot glue and nails. The next step can take anything from 30 minutes to
a fortnight. This is while the shaft and last are set aside to ensure the leather flawlessly assumes the
last’s shape.
The shoe is in perfect shape! It’s time to stitch an approximately 3mm wide piece of leather – a welt – to
the insole and the lining. The welt is stitched into place using a Goodyear stitching machine. This takes
precision to ensure the welt is as close as possible to the shaft and the rubber ridge.

The beauty of the Goodyear stitch is that because it’s on the inside of the shoe it’s completely invisible.
Shoes using this technique generally don’t have a welt running all the way around the insole, omitting
the heel section. Instead the shaft and insole are nailed together and a heel-shaped piece of leather,
called piping, will fuse the two. When the piping has been nailed to the insole small brass pins ensure it
remains at one with the shaft. Now it’s time to remove the last which has been with us every step of the
journey. A shank is fitted into the shoe between the heel and front, providing support before the shoes
manufacturing process continues.

Goodyear Welt v. the Blake Method

Not all men’s shoes use the Goodyear welt. Another popular choice for manufacturers of bespoke shoes
is the Blake method. Generally, the Goodyear welt is more commonly used in British-made shoes.
Particularly those crafted in Northampton, the UK’s traditional shoemaking town. The Blake method
meanwhile is favored in mainland Europe, especially in Italy. But what are the differences between the
two?

Blake construction is slightly older than the Goodyear welt, dating back to 1856. Stitching cannot be
done by hand and is performed using a Langhorn sewing machine. The shoemaker sews each layer of
the shoe – the shaft bottom, the insole and the outsole – without welts.  Those who favor the Blake will
tell you their shoes are less rigid and more comfortable to wear. The Goodyear, however, is hardier and
better in wet weather. (An important consideration in the UK!)

A Blake shoe has no external stitches and is normally closer cut than a Goodyear one. The upper and
outsole form a tighter bond, again giving that feeling of flexibility. This is accentuated by the fact that
the Blake shoe manufacturing process uses less layers. Goodyear welt shoes have more layers providing
that more durable construction that serves style conscious men in damp climates better! However, if
wet weather is not an issue, how your shoes are made will be of less importance. Providing they’re
stylish, well made and help you, or your customers, stand out from the crowd!
Step 5: Step Insoles and Decoration

If you’re starting your own shoe line, you’ll be pleased to know your shoe is taking shape rather nicely.
But it’s still not looking particularly stylish and its inner is still on the rough and ready side. To address
this a filler layer is added. To ensure comfort and movement the filler must be flexible, so cork is
normally used. This will even out the foundation for the insole which will be glued, and then securely
stitched, to the welt.

As you’ve probably gathered, how shoes are made is no mean feat of craftsmanship! But
our shoemaking process isn’t finished just yet. Now the pins that were placed in the heel will be
removed and the holes they’ve left in the leather sealed. Any ornamental perforation is taken care of at
this stage. Or if the finish of the shoe is smooth, seam holes are carefully hidden through a procedure of
ironing, dyeing and polishing. Next, the edge of the heel and its outsole are abraded, and the visible part
of the welt is decorated. The double seam is compacted next and the heel and tips of the sole are dyed.
Finally, a half-insole with the brand’s logo is inserted and the shoe is carefully cleaned.

Step 6: The Shoe Room

Before previously assembled shoes are offered for sale, they receive finishing touches in the shoe room.
Shoe polish is applied, shoelaces are threaded through, and the shoes are polished to a high shine.
In the shoe room—also known as the finishing department—men's shoes receive finishing touches,
bringing the shoemaking process to a close. Once men's shoes have been processed in the shoe room,
they are ready for delivery to retailers. Inside the shoe room, shoe polish is applied, and the shoes are
polished. Finally, shoelaces are laced through the shoes. After a final quality check, the shoes are packed
up and delivered to retailers.

Each shoe then undergoes a thorough final quality check. Then they’re packaged and shipped to the
retailer, ready for a discerning customer – you!? – to purchase and wear with pride.