"Shoemaking is the process of making footwear."
This subfield involves the study of creating shoes and footwear from materials such as leather and fabric.
Leather types and properties: Understanding the variety of leather types available, their properties, textures and quality is essential when making shoes.
Tools and equipment: Familiarizing oneself with the different types of tools used in shoemaking and their particular functions.
Anatomy of a shoe: A basic understanding of the different components that make up a shoe such as upper, lining, insole, outsole, heel and sole.
Measuring and fitting: Proper measurement and fitting techniques are important in ensuring a comfortable and well-fitted shoe.
Pattern making: Developing a shoe pattern, which is the blueprint of the shoe, is an essential skill to master.
Cutting and skiving: Understanding how to accurately cut and skive leather to the desired thickness and shape.
Stitching: Different types of stitching techniques such as hand-stitching, machine-stitching, and welt-stitching.
Last making: A last is a mold that is used to shape and construct the shoe. Understanding how to make and use them is vital.
Finishing techniques: Finishing touches such as polishing and burnishing, applying edge dressing and sealing through proper application of dye solutions.
Material sourcing: Sourcing quality leather and other materials is crucial to a successful shoemaking endeavor.
Shoemaking history: Understanding the history and evolution of shoemaking can provide context and inspiration for one's own designs.
Aesthetics: Developing an eye for design and aesthetics, including color theory, pattern and texture, and proportion.
Environmental impact: Understanding the environmental impact of shoemaking, including the sourcing and disposal of materials, is increasingly important.
Entrepreneurship: Running a successful shoemaking business requires skills such as marketing, branding, and financial management.
Custom shoemaking: Handcrafted shoes made to a specific customer's preferences and measurements, often with unique design elements.
Bespoke shoemaking: Similar to custom shoemaking, but with a greater emphasis on handwork and individualized fit.
Mass production shoemaking: The assembly-line production of large quantities of standardized shoes.
Ready-to-wear shoemaking: Machine-produced shoes that are available in standard sizes and styles.
Repair shoemaking: The process of fixing or refurbishing worn shoes, often involving stitching, patching, or replacing parts.
Orthopedic shoemaking: The creation of custom shoes to address specific foot conditions, such as flat feet or heel spurs.
Athletic shoemaking: The design and production of shoes for specific sports and physical activities, with features such as extra cushioning or support.
Fashion shoemaking: Creating shoes that are fashionable and stylish, often with unique design features and materials.
Artistic shoemaking: Creating shoes that are works of art, using non-traditional materials and unconventional designs.
Orthotic shoemaking: Creating custom shoes with built-in supports or braces, often used to address foot or ankle injuries or deformities.
"Originally, shoes were made one at a time by hand, often by groups of shoemakers, or cordwainers."
"In the 18th century, dozens or even hundreds of masters, journeymen, and apprentices (both men and women) would work together in a shop, dividing the work into individual tasks. Sometimes misidentified as cobblers, who repair shoes rather than make them."
"Everyone needed shoes, and the median price for a pair was about one day’s wages for an average journeyman. A customer could come into a shop, be individually measured, and return to pick up their new shoes in as little as a day."
"The shoemaking trade flourished in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries but began to be affected by industrialization in the later nineteenth century."
"Traditional handicraft shoemaking has now been largely superseded in volume of shoes produced by industrial mass production of footwear, but not necessarily in quality, attention to detail, or craftsmanship."
"Today, most shoes are made on a volume basis, rather than a craft basis."
"A pair of 'bespoke' shoes, made in 2020 according to traditional practices, can be sold for thousands of US dollars."
"Shoemakers may produce a range of footwear items, including shoes, boots, sandals, clogs, and moccasins."
"Such items are generally made of leather, wood, rubber, plastic, jute, or other plant material."
"Items often consist of multiple parts for better durability of the sole, stitched to a leather upper part."
"Trades that engage in shoemaking have included the cordwainer's and cobbler's trades."
"The term cobbler 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."
"The shoemaking trade began to be affected by industrialization in the later nineteenth century."
"Traditional handicraft shoemaking has now been largely superseded in volume of shoes produced by industrial mass production of footwear, but not necessarily in quality, attention to detail, or craftsmanship."
"The median price for a pair was about one day’s wages for an average journeyman."
"A customer could come into a shop, be individually measured, and return to pick up their new shoes in as little as a day."
"Dozens or even hundreds of masters, journeymen, and apprentices (both men and women) would work together in a shop, dividing the work into individual tasks."
"Today, most shoes are made on a volume basis, rather than a craft basis."