SHOE 101: Understanding the Goodyear Welt Construction

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An indication of quality and what sets apart a pair of fine shoes from the rest.

Ever wondered why a pair of similar-looking leather shoes can easily swing between fairly affordable to unattainable luxury in price?  Certainly, the leather quality and brand name plays a part. One of the more crucial elements, however, is in the way the shoe was constructed. In 1869, Charles Goodyear Jr. invented the Goodyear welted process which is now recognized as one of the de rigueur standards of fine shoe construction.

What happens in a Goodyear construction is that once the upper part of a shoe has been shaped over the last, a leather strip (also known as the welt) is sewn onto the inner & upper sole. The welt forms a cavity which is then stuffed with cork grains which, after repeated wear of the shoes, creates indentations molded to the contours of the feet and adds extra comfort to every step.

The outer is then attached to the welt of the shoe using a combination of super strength adhesive and lockstitches that which does not unravel easily if one stitch becomes undone. Due to its complicated construction, Goodyear welted shoes are quite weather resistant and hardy. One of the greatest pros of having finely-made footwear that is Goodyear welted versus, say, the more economical cementing method is that it can be re-soled repeatedly, meaning that with the proper tools a worn out sole can be dismantled and a new one reattached, giving the shoe a longer lifespan and making it a worthy splurge.  Of course, with added proper care, a pair of very well-constructed shoes can last for years

About Mario Minardi

A versatile local shoemaker, Mario Minardi very well understands that shoes play an important role in showing someone’s character. Having honed traditional shoemaking techniques in Italy, Mario Minardi’s expertise in Goodyear welted genuine leather shoes enable the creation of not only dress shoes such as oxfords, derbys and wingtips but also heavy duty-boots and hand stitched moccasins in various colours and styles. Mario Minardi shoes are available at the flagship Boutiques Lotte Shopping Avenue and Mall Kota Kasablanka as well as leading retailers such as Galeries Lafayette , SEIBU, Debenhams & SOGO.

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