How Women’s Wholesale Shoes Are Made

How Women’s Wholesale Shoes Are Made

The crafting of women’s wholesale shoes is an elaborate and complex art but ultimately a satisfying one from wherein emerges a piece of art. Given below are the main steps in the shoe-making process.

Design

Shoe-making starts with the design stage itself. Our team of in-house designers in consultation with fashion agents in Italy, France, and the USA create the designs and prototypes for the upcoming season. Our shoe technicians provide their inputs and finalize the designs along with the materials to go with them.

Cutting

After the design is finalized, the material whether leather or suede is cut into different parts for making the upper of the shoe. This is done by putting ‘Patterns’ over the leather and cutting them with a special leather clicking knife. All the pieces of leather used to make the shoe in this stage are called a ‘Shaft’. The patterns are the 2D shoe designs cut into specific sizes which are sewn later to give form to the ‘Upper’ of the shoe. The patterns may be made of cardboard or other materials. One interesting point to note is that the cutters are skilled craftsmen with years of experience. Cutting leather is a specialized craft that has been passed down through generations.

Upper Making

The upper as the name suggests is the upper visible part of the shoe. Different parts of leather prepared during the cutting process are marked or ‘stamped’ as per their position on the upper. These stamped leather pieces are now stitched together to form the upper of the shoe.

Moulding

After the upper is prepared, it is fitted into a mould called ‘Last’ to give the upper shoe shape. The ‘Last’ is made to simulate both left and right feet and for different designs.

Lasting

‘Last’ as we discussed above is a mould around which shoes are fitted. These are shaped like feet in various predetermined sizes. Lasts are generally made of wood or hardened plastic. Now, these are slipped into the assembled shoes and gently warmed for a predetermined period so that the leather gets tightened or ‘Cured’ around the Last and shoes take the final form.

Sole Pasting

Sole is made up of two layers. The ‘Midsole’ is made of a hard and pliable material curved to provide support to the arch and the ‘Outsole’ or the bottom that touches the ground. The outsole is usually made of hard leather and rubber and is waterproof. The stitching and pasting of the upper and sole are done by a skilled cordwainer by hand, through a sewing machine for leather, and through a sole pressing machine using highly durable threads, metal components like nails and staples, and high strength industrial glue.

Finishing

In this process, the final product takes shape. The shoes are sent to the ‘Finishing Room’ where the last-minute alterations are done. Soles are trimmed and their edges burnished, uppers are polished and laces are put in eyelets. Now the finished product is ready for packing.

Packaging

Shoes are sorted according to their size, design, and color. Now, these are tagged, packed, and branded as per the specifications, and sent to the warehouse for storing and shipping.