Cowhide is the basic raw material for shoe manufacturing. The strongest and most massive part of the hide is located on either side of the spinal column. The neck section is used for the insole and mid sole, and the belly is ised for the welt, […]

The Derby is an open-laced style of shoe widespread in Europe, often double stitched and double soled. Also known as “bluchers.” The most common variants are plain, full-brogues, and semi-brogues.

Leather Direction of Stretch is important to the placing of the former. The former for the vamp, for example, must be oriented so that the leather can expand lengthwise but not across – whereas if the quarters can expand lengthwise, they will stretch by two-fifths to […]

Finishing is the final process undergone by the shoe once its construction is complete. Consisting of washing, creaming, and polishing the upper; and inking, heelballing, and polishing the edges of the sole and the heel. The edge of the sole is pressed with the edge […]

Finishing wax is a type of wax, of which the shoemaker applies a thin coat to the upper surfaces of the shoe after inking. It is then pressed into the leather together with the ink using a warm iron.

The foot imprint is produced by the ped-a-graph. It gives an exact picture of the arch of the foot, the intersection points of the arch curves, and the position of the toes.

All raw textile materials, when they are in natural form, are known as ‘greige’ material (pronounced grey-sh). This greige material will have its natural color.  A factory will store material as ‘greige’ or ‘Grey Goods’ until a customer is ready to buy.  With the order […]

Shoe Adhesive or Contact Cement Shoe adhesive is usually solvent or water-based PU contact cement. Each part is coated with cement and allowed to dry. The surfaces are then pressed together. Pressing is critical for a good bond. The PU adhesive cures in minutes, but […]

The ball girth, also called the joint girth, is a measurement of the distance around shoe’s toe box at its widest point, typically at the metatarsal heads (the ball of the foot). It is used to ensure the shoe fits the width of the wearer’s […]

Ball Width The ball width is the measurement across the bottom of the shoe last. The ball width is measured from the lateral ball point to the medial ball point. When measuring a last you need to know the ball width. The ball girth of […]