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Shoemaking is the process of makingfootwear.
Originally,shoes were made one at a time by hand, often by groups of shoemakers, orcordwainers (sometimes misidentified as cobblers, who repair shoes rather than make them[citation needed]). In the 18th century, dozens or even hundreds[1] of masters, journeymen, and apprentices (both men and women) would work together in a shop, dividing the work into individual tasks. A customer could come into a shop, be individually measured, and return to pick up their new shoes in as little as a day.[2] Everyone needed shoes, and the median price for a pair was about one day’s wages for an average journeyman.[1]
The shoemaking trade flourished in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries but began to be affected by industrialization in the later nineteenth century.[2]Traditionalhandicraft shoemaking has now been largely superseded involume of shoes produced by industrialmass production of footwear, but not necessarily inquality, attention to detail, orcraftsmanship. Today, most shoes are made on a volume basis, rather than acraft basis.[3] A pair ofbespoke shoes, made in 2020 according to traditional practices, can be sold for thousands of US dollars.[4]
Shoemakers may produce a range of footwear items, includingshoes,boots,sandals,clogs andmoccasins. Such items are generally made ofleather,wood,rubber,plastic,jute or other plant material, and often consist of multiple parts for better durability of thesole, stitched to a leather upper part.
Trades that engage in shoemaking have included the cordwainer's and cobbler's trades. The termcobbler was originally used pejoratively to indicate that someone did not know their craft; in the 18th century, it became a term for those who repaired shoes but did not know enough to make them.[1]
For most of history, shoemaking has been a handicraft, limited to time-consuming manufacturing by hand. Traditional shoemakers used more than 15 different techniques for making shoes, including pegged construction, Englishwelted (machine-made versions are referred to as "Goodyear welted" after the inventor of the technique), goyser welted, Norwegian, stitch down, turnout, German sewn, moccasin, bolognese stitched, and blake-stitched.
The most basic foot protection, used since ancient times in theMediterranean area, was the sandal, which consisted of a protective sole, held to the foot with leather thongs or cords of various materials. Similar footwear worn in theFar East was made from plaited grass orpalm fronds. In climates that required a full foot covering, a single piece of untanned hide was laced with a thong, providing full protection for the foot and so made a complete covering.[5]
The production ofclogs (wooden shoes) was widespread inmedieval Europe. They were made from a single piece of wood roughly cut into shoe form. A variant of this form was a wooden sole to which a leather upper was attached. The sole and heel were made from one piece ofmaple orash two-inches thick, and a little longer and broader than the desired size of shoe. The outer side of the sole and heel was fashioned with a longchisel-edged implement, called the clogger's knife or stock; while a second implement, called the groover, made a groove around the side of the sole. With the use of a 'hollower', the inner sole's contours were adapted to the shape of the foot. The leather uppers were then fitted closely to the groove around the sole. Clogs were of great advantage to workers in muddy and damp conditions, keeping the feet dry and comfortable.[5]
By the 1600s, leather shoes came in two main types. 'Turn shoes' consisted of one thin flexible sole, which was sewed to the upper while outside in and turned over when completed. This type was used for makingslippers and similar shoes. The second type united the upper with an insole, which was subsequently attached to an out-sole with a raised heel. This was the main variety, and was used for most footwear, including standard shoes andriding boots.[5]
The traditional shoemaker would measure the feet and cut out upper leathers according to the required size. These parts were fitted and stitched together. The sole was next assembled, consisting of a pair of inner soles of soft leather, a pair of outer soles of firmer texture, a pair of welts or bands about one inch broad, of flexible leather, and lifts and top-pieces for the heels. The insole was then attached to alast made of wood, which was used to form the shoe. Some lasts were straight, while curved lasts came in pairs: one for left shoes, the other for right shoes. The 'lasting' procedure then secured the leather upper to the sole withtacks. The soles were then hammered into shape; the heel lifts were then attached with wooden pegs and the worn out-sole was nailed down to the lifts. The finishing operation included paring, rasping, scraping, smoothing, blacking, and burnishing the edges of soles and heels, scraping, sand-papering, and burnishing the soles, withdrawing the lasts, and cleaning out any pegs which may have pierced through the inner sole.[5]
Other types of ancient and traditionally made shoes included furs wrapped around feet, and sandals wrapped over them (used byRomans fighting in northern Europe), andmoccasins—simple shoes without the durability of joined shoes.
Thepatron saint of shoemakers isSaint Crispin.
The most common materials used to make shoes are leather, textiles (cotton, polyester, wool, and nylon), synthetics, rubber, and foam (open and closed cell foam). Leather is flexible and elastic but very sturdy and strong which makes it the top choice for shoe making.
Shoemaking became more commercialized in the mid-18th century, as it expanded as acottage industry, typically organized around a central manufactory and subcontracted laborers organized into aputting-out system. Large warehouses began to stock footwear inwarehouses, made by many small manufacturers from the area.
Until the 19th century, shoemaking was a traditional handicraft, but by the century's end, the process had been almost completely mechanized, with production occurring in large factories. Despite the obvious economic gains ofmass production, the factory system produced shoes without the individual differentiation that the traditional shoemaker was able to provide.
The first steps towards mechanisation were taken during theNapoleonic Wars by the engineer,Marc Brunel. He developed machinery for the mass-production of boots for the soldiers of theBritish Army. In 1812 he devised a scheme for making nailed-boot-making machinery that automatically fastened soles to uppers by means of metallic pins or nails.[6] With the support of theDuke of York, the shoes were manufactured, and, due to their strength, cheapness, and durability, were introduced for the use of the army. In the same year, the use of screws and staples was patented by Richard Woodman. Brunel's system was described bySir Richard Phillips as a visitor to his factory inBattersea as follows:
However, when the war ended in 1815,manual labour became much cheaper, and the demand for military equipment subsided. As a consequence, Brunel's system was no longer profitable and it soon ceased business.[6]
Similar exigencies at the time of theCrimean War stimulated a renewed interest in methods of mechanization and mass-production, which proved longer-lasting.[6] A shoemaker inLeicester, Tomas Crick, patented the design for a riveting machine in 1853. His machine used an iron plate to push iron rivets into the sole. The process greatly increased the speed and efficiency of production. He also introduced the use ofsteam-poweredrolling-machines for hardening leather and cutting-machines, in the mid-1850s.[8]
The sewing machine was introduced in 1846, and provided an alternative method for the mechanization of shoemaking. By the late 1850s, the industry was beginning to shift towards the modern factory, mainly in the US and areas of England. A shoe stitching machine was invented by the American Lyman Blake in 1856 and perfected by 1864. Entering into partnership with McKay, his device became known as the McKay stitching machine and was quickly adopted by manufacturers throughoutNew England.[9] As bottlenecks opened up in the production line due to these innovations, more and more of the manufacturing stages, such as pegging and finishing, became automated. By the 1890s, the process of mechanisation was largely complete.
A process for manufacturing stitchless, that is, glued, shoes—AGO—was developed in 1910.
Traditional shoemakers still exist today, especially in poorer parts of the world, and create custom shoes. Current crafters, indeveloping regions or supply constrained areas may usesurplus car or trucktire tread sections as an inexpensive and plentiful materialresource with which to make strong soles for shoes or sandals. Generally, the modern machinery used includes die cutting tools to cut the shapes and grommet machines to punch holes for lacing.
Early 21st century has seen a resurgence in the shoemaking profession, particularly in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. This has been driven in large part by broader societal preferences in favour of leather restoration rather than replacement and extends to not only shoes but also handbags and other leather fashion accessories. Meanwhile, organizations within the industry have begun leveraging e-commerce and modern logistical networks to offer consumers greater convenience through the offering of services by mail.[10][11]
A shoe store or shoe shop is a type ofretailer that specializes in sellingshoes. Fromslippers toathletic shoes toboots, the store could also sell shoe accessories, includinginsoles,shoelaces,shoe horns,shoe polish, etc. In addition, shoe stores may provideclothing andfashion accessories, such ashandbags,sunglasses,backpacks,socks, andhosiery.
A shoe repair shop is a type of business establishment that fixes and remodels shoes and boots. Besides a shoe repair shop, a shoe repairer could work in department stores or shoe stores.
