Shoemaking Courses: Learn How to Make Shoes

Shoe School

Yes! You are in the right place. The Sneaker Factory offers options to suit your level. Self-paced online learning for free, supplemental books and shoemaking materials, live virtual classes, and private consulting with the Shoe Dog. Free shoe school is outlined below. Please send us an email for more information on the live classes and consulting with The Shoe Dog.

Shoe school – Free and Self-Paced: We have pulled together an online curriculum of shoemaking articles in a sequence that will take you from the basics of shoe design and shoemaking to advanced material selection topics. Step-by-step you will learn how to design shoes. This collection of articles teaches shoe making for beginner students of the trade.

Learn how to make shoes with this short online course where you study the basics of shoe design and techniques for mass production. Get a firm grasp of shoemaking terminology, shoe patterns, and construction. Our shoe making tutorial takes just a few hours to read. Of course, we also offer additional books and instruction for shoe designers.

Welcome to the Sneaker Factory Online shoe school, let’s get started!  We have taken great care to make learning easy! Throughout our articles you will see many shoemaking terms like “last” and “eyestay,” are highlighted in blue. Simply move your mouse over the highlighted terms to see the definitions. So easy! You can also see all the shoemaking terms together in our Shoe Terms Dictionary.

Our shoe school course is free! If want to learn how to make shoes you are in the right place!  This short online course will cover the basics of shoe design and techniques for mass production and give you a firm grasp of shoemaking terminology, shoe patterns, and construction. Our shoe making tutorial takes just a few hours to read.  Of course, we have books for shoe designers.

Welcome to the Sneaker Factory Online shoe school, let’s get started!  We have taken great care to make learning easy! Throughout our articles you will see many shoemaking terms like “last” and “eyestay,” are highlighted in blue.  Simply move your mouse over the highlighted terms to see the definitions. So easy! You can also see all the shoemaking terms together in our Shoe Terms Dictionary.

Part 1:  Learn The Basics of Shoemaking

In this part of our shoemaking course, you will learn the basics of shoemaking and construction step-by-step. You will learn what a shoe last is and how it determines the shape of your shoe. More importantly,  you will learn the parts of a shoe. If you want to learn how to make shoes…you are in the right place!

What does it really take to make a sneaker?
How Does a Factory Make Shoes?
The Shoe Last
How Shoes are Made: The Basics
Shoe Parts Diagram
Shoe Pattern Parts
Running Shoe Parts Terminology
How a new Shoe is made: Shoe Development Process
How Shoes are Made Video
How to become a Shoe Designer 10 Steps
Shoe Terms Dictionary

Part 2:   Learn Shoe Construction Techniques

Now that you understand the basics we can move on to the details of shoe construction, shoe lasting, and what is inside the guts of your shoe. We will cover the two most popular styles of shoe construction: Cold Cement and Vulcanized construction.

Shoe Lasting
What’s inside Shoes? Shoe Reinforcements
Cold Cement vs Vulcanized Shoe Construction
How Converse All-Stars are Made: Vulcanized Process
How are Nike shoes made: Cold Cement Construction
Shoe Outsole Tooling
Shoe Construction Techniques

Part 3: Learn How to Design Shoes

Once you have read through parts 1 and 2 you will have enough basic shoemaking knowledge to get started designing your shoe projects. In part 3 of the course, you will learn how to design shoes. In this part, we will review how to go about drawing shoes and how shoe patterns are made.

The Shoe Design Brief
How to Draw Shoes
Shoe Patterns
Shoe Designer Vs Shoe Pattern Maker
How to Become a Shoe Designer: 10 Steps
What is a Shoe Pattern
How to make a shoe pattern
How to Design Shoe Outsole Tooling Part 1
A Shoe Designers Tools
Shoe Design: Logos for Shoes

Part 4:  How to specify your Shoe Design

With your new design drawn up, let’s dig deeper and learn how to make a real factory ready shoe specification. A detailed shoe specification, (or Spec sheet,) will allow the shoe factory to create just what you are looking for. This section of the shoemaking course will teach you the language and give you the tools to create a proper and professional shoe design specification.

Is my shoe design ready for production?
The Shoe Design Specification Drawing
How to Make a shoe production specification
How to Select Footwear Materials
The Designers Guide to Shoe Material Suppliers
How to spec shoe colors……The Pantone Book!
Nike Air Jordan 1 Design Review: Shoe Edges
The Designer’s Guide to Shoe Leather
How to Design shoes – Synthetic Leather
Textiles for Shoe Design
Shoe Design: Know your Footbeds
How much does it cost to make a sneaker
The Designers Guide to Shoe Materials 

Part 5:  Continued  Reading

There is always more to learn in the field of shoemaking!  In this section of the course, we have a few more articles that will help you on your way to becoming a real shoe pro!

Jobs in The Shoe Trades: Working for a Shoe Brand
Download a Shoe Last for 3D Printing
Finding Shoe Agents & Shoe Development Contracts
Can I start a shoe company?
How to Start Your Own Shoe Company
Shoe factory equipment: What do I need to make shoes?
Can I get custom made shoes? Yes!
How Shoe Lasts are Made By Tsubo
What about shoes made in China?
Shoemaking Books On Amazon
Shoe Design Books available on Amazon NOW!
Hand Tools for Shoemaking
How Shoe Lasts are Made
How New Balance Shoes are Made

If you want to learn more we have written three books that every young shoe designer should read.

How Shoes are Made: Covers the basics of shoe design and manufacturing. Everything you need to know if you are starting in a shoe design office. This is a shoe design handbook for footwear designers.

Shoe Material Design Guide: This will complete your shoe design book library. This book is a master class dedicated entirely to the selection and sourcing of shoe materials. An ideal handbook for footwear designers and manufacturers.

How To Start Your Own Shoe Company: This book is written for shoe entrepreneurs young and old. Not just for shoe designers, How To Start Your Own Shoe Company is a perfect training aid for footwear product line managers and shoe company brand managers.