The process of converting animal hide into leather is known as tanning, this process is performed at a tannery. It involves permanently altering the protein structure of the skin to make it more durable and tough. Before this process, the hair and other impurities from the hide are removed, then it’s soaked into water for a period. After that, it goes through a further process and finally turns into a pure form of leather. This leather can now be used for manufacturing products like shoes, gloves, jackets, safety items, and other leather products.
Leather shoes are one of the top-selling items that are made of leather. These shoes are commonly used as formal wear for going to work, attending meetings, and other official events. Also, some people wear leather shoes for their daily work, as these shoes are tough and can be used for an active routine.
Process of Making Shoes – Step by Step
The process of making shoes involves multiple stages. Below, we’ll let you know the complete step-by-step process.
1) Design
The first step in the shoe-making process is creating the design of the shoe. It involves sketching or drawing the shoe’s design by using a computer. This department has expert designers who can draw proper designs showing all the dimensions of a shoe. These people are creative and know how a shoe will look good and also perform well.
2) Shoe Last
A shoe last is a mold of wood, plastic, or metal that’s used to shape the shoe before it goes into production. Every pair of right and left shoes requires lasting to determine their shape and size. The mold is made keeping in mind how a foot rolls in while walking and what effect the heel height puts on a person’s foot. When the shoe is almost manufactured, the last is again modeled into the shoe to make sure that it’s correctly shaped and matches the design.
3) Stamping and Sewing
Stamping and sewing are major steps in manufacturing shoes. As the shoes are made from many leather pieces, so all the pieces are first checked, sorted, and the best ones are stamped. The shoes are then made from these stamped pieces. Also, stamping includes marking the spots on the leather pieces where it’s required to perforate or punch eyelets. After stamping, these pieces are provided for sewing. The parts that are to be stitched are first thinned and then further processed.
4) Assembling
After the stitching process, shoes are sent to the assembly department where they are assembled according to the Goodyear welting method. This is a detailed technique of assembling shoes and has been used since the 1870s. In its first step, the shoe insole is attached below the shoe last using three nails, then a rubber ridge is fixed to it. After that, the shaft is laced and attached to the insole with the help of using glue and nails, then it’s checked if the leather is according to the last’s and shaft’s shape or not. If all is well, a welt (a small piece of leather) is stitched to the insole and the lining. When this all is done, it’s ensured that the welt is close enough to the shaft and the rubber ridge. This is the last stage of assembling shoes.
5) Decoration and Finishing
After assembling, the shoes are now almost done. The next stage is to finish and decorate them. It includes removing the nails that were placed, filling the holes through ironing or any other process. Now, they’re decorated by perforating them, inserting the brand’s logo, and cleaning them.
6) Shoe Room
This is the last stage of the shoe-making process, it’s when the shoes are completely finalized. At this stage, they are properly checked, styled, laced, and polished for packing and shipping purposes. When done, they become ready to sell.
These are all the steps that the shoe-making process includes. If you’re looking for the best quality leather shoes and more leather products, have a look at the varieties provided by Elite Leather Creations.
