SHOES KNOWLEDGE

Shoe Making- How Shoes are Made

Footwear can be defined as garments that are worn on
the feet. Their main purpose is protecting one's feet.
Of late, footwear has become an important component
of fashion accessories. Although, their basic purpose
remains that of protection, adornment or defining style
statement has become their additional and a
significant function. There are many types of footwear- shoes,
boots, sandals, slippers etc. They are further categorized into
many more types.

Shoes and Shoe making

Shoes are further divided into many categories such

as athletic shoes also known as sneakers, galoshes,
high heels, Stiletto heels, kitten heels, lace-up shoes,
high-Tops, loafers, Mary Janes, platform shoes, school
shoes and many others. Shoemaking can be
considered a traditional handicraft profession.
However, now it has been largely taken over by industrial
manufacture of footwear. A variety of materials are used for
making shoes- leather fabrics, plastic, rubber, fabrics, wood, jute
fabrics, and metal. More than 200 operations are required for
making a pair of shoes. However, with the development of
modern machines, a pair of shoes can be made in very less time
as each step in its manufacturing is generally
performed by a separate footwear making machine.

Parts of a Shoe
A shoe consists of sole, insole, outsole, midsole, heel,
and vamp (upper). They are the basic parts of a shoe
that are mostly included in all types off shoes. Other parts of a
shoe are lining, tongue, quarter, welt and backstay. These parts
are included as per the design of the shoes.
Sole: The exterior bottom part of a shoe is the sole.

Insole: The interior bottom of a shoe, which sits directly beneath

the foot, is its insole. They can be removable and replaceable too.
In some of the shoes, extra insoles are often added for comfort,
health or other reasons, such as to control the shape, moisture, or
smell of the shoe.

Outsole: It is that layer of the shoe that is in direct contact with

the ground. These can be made of various materials like leather,
natural or synthetic rubber etc. Often the heel of the sole is made
from rubber for durability and traction and the front is made of
leather for style. Special purpose shoes often have refined
modifications, for example, athletic cleats have spikes embedded
in the outsole to grip the ground, dance shoes have much softer
or harder soles.

Midsole: The layer that lies between the outsole and the insole
for shock absorption, is the midsole. Some special shoes, like
running shoes have other materials for shock absorption, that
usually lie beneath the heel where one puts the most pressure
down. Materials used for midsoles depend on the shoe
manufacturers. Some shoes can be made even without a midsole.

Heel: The rear part at the bottom of a shoe is the heel. It

supports the heels of the feet. Heels of a shoe are often made
from the same material as the sole of the shoe. It can be high for
fashion purpose or for making a person look taller. They are also
flat for comfort and practical use.

Vamp, or upper: The upper part of a shoe that helps in holding

the shoe onto the foot is the vamp or simply called the upper. This
part is often embellished or given different styles to make shoes
attractive.

Shoe Making Process

A footwear company has mainly four departments in which a
progressive route is followed for producing finished shoes. These
are- Clicking or Cutting Department, Closing or Machining
Department, Lasting & Making Department, Finishing Department
and the Shoe Room.

Clicking or Cutting Department

In this department, the top part of the shoe or the
"upper" is made. The clicking operative is given skins
of leather, mostly cow leather but not restricted to this
type of leather. Using metal strip knives, the worker
cuts out pieces of various shapes that will take the
form of "uppers". This operation needs a high level of
skill as the expensive leather has to be wasted at the minimum
level possible. Leather may also have various defects on the
surface such as barbed wire scratches which needs to be avoided,
so that they are not used for the uppers.

Closing or Machining Department

Here the component pieces are sewn together by
highly skilled machinists so as to produce the
completed upper. The work is divided in stages. In
early stages, the pieces are sewn together on the flat
machine. In the later stages, when the upper is no
longer flat and has become three-dimensional, the machine called
post machine is used. The sewing surface of the machine is
elevated on a post to enable the operative to sew the three
dimensional upper. Various edge treatments are also done onto
the leather for giving an attractive look to the finished upper. At
this stage only, the eyelets are also inserted in order to
accommodate the laces in the finished shoes.

Lasting & Making Department

The completed uppers are molded into a shape of foot
with the help of a "Last". Last is a plastic shape that
simulates the foot shape. It is later removed from the
finished shoe to be used further in making other
shoes. Firstly, an insole to the bottom of the last is attached. It is
only a temporary attachment. Sometimes, mostly when welted
shoes are manufactured, the insole has a rib attached to its under
edge. The upper is stretched and molded over the last and
attached to the insole rib. After the procedure completes, a
"lasted shoe" is obtained. Now, the welt- a strip of leather or
plastic- is sewn onto the shoe through the rib. The upper and all
the surplus material is trimmed off the seam. The sole is then
attached to the welt and both are stitched together. The heel is
then attached which completes the "making" of the shoe.

That was the process for heeled shoes. When a flat shoe is in the
making, there are considerably fewer operations. The insoles in
this case is flat and when the uppers are 'lasted', they are glued
down to the surface of the inner side of the insole. The part of the
upper, that is glued down, is then roughed with a wire brush to
take off the smooth finish of the leather. This is done because
rough surface absorbs glue to give a stronger bond. The soles are
usually cut, finished and prepared as a separate component so
that when they are glued to the lasted upper, the result is a
complete and finished shoe. Soles can also be pre-molded as a
separate component out of various synthetic materials and again
glued to the lasted upper to complete the shoe.

Finishing Department and the Shoe Room

The finishing of a shoe depends on the material used
for making it. If made of leather, the sole edge and
heel are trimmed and buffed to give a smooth finish.
To give them an attractive finish and to ensure that
the edge is waterproof, they are stained, polished and waxed. The
bottom of the sole is often lightly buffed, stained and polished and
different types of patterns are marked on the surface to give it a
craft finished look. A "finished shoe" has now been made.

For shoe room operation, an internal sock is fitted into shoe which
can be of any length- full, half or quarter. They usually have the
manufacturers details or a brand name wherever applicable.
Depending on the materials used for the uppers, they are then
cleaned, polished and sprayed. Laces and any tags that might
have to be attached to the shoes, such as shoe care instructions,
are also attached. The shoes, at last, get packaged in boxes.
Shoe Making- How Shoes are Made
Footwear can be defined as garments that are worn on
the feet. There main purpose is protecting one's feet.
Of late, footwear has become an important component
of fashion accessories. Although, their basic purpose
remains that of protection, adornment or defining style
statement has become their additional and a
significant function. There are many types of footwear- shoes,
boots, sandals, slippers etc. They are further categorized into
many more types.

Shoes and Shoe making

Shoes are further divided into many categories such
as athletic shoes also known as sneakers, galoshes,
high heels, Stiletto heels, kitten heels, lace-up shoes,
high-Tops, loafers, Mary Janes, platform shoes, school
shoes and many others. Shoemaking can be
considered a traditional handicraft profession. However, now it
has been largely taken over by industrial manufacture of
footwear. A variety of materials are used for making shoes-
leather fabrics, plastic, rubber, fabrics, wood, jute fabrics, and
metal. More than 200 operations are required for making a pair of
shoes. However, with the development of modern machines, a
pair of shoes can be made in very less time as each
step in its manufacturing is generally performed by a
separate footwear making machine.

Parts of a Shoe
A shoe consists of sole, insole, outsole, midsole, heel,
and vamp (upper). They are the basic parts of a shoe that are
mostly included in all types off shoes. Other parts of a shoe are
lining, tongue, quarter, welt and backstay. These parts are
included as per the design of the shoes.

Sole: The exterior bottom part of a shoe is the sole.

Insole: The interior bottom of a shoe, which sits directly beneath

the foot, is its insole. They can be removable and replaceable too.
In some of the shoes, extra insoles are often added for comfort,
health or other reasons, such as to control the shape, moisture, or
smell of the shoe.

Outsole: It is that layer of the shoe that is in direct contact with

the ground. These can be made of various materials like leather,
natural or synthetic rubber etc. Often the heel of the sole is made
from rubber for durability and traction and the front is made of
leather for style. Special purpose shoes often have refined
modifications, for example, athletic cleats have spikes embedded
in the outsole to grip the ground, dance shoes have much softer
or harder soles.

Midsole: The layer that lies between the outsole and the insole
for shock absorption, is the midsole. Some special shoes, like
running shoes have other materials for shock absorption, that
usually lie beneath the heel where one puts the most pressure
down. Materials used for midsoles depend on the shoe
manufacturers. Some shoes can be made even without a midsole.

Heel: The rear part at the bottom of a shoe is the heel. It

supports the heels of the feet. Heels of a shoe are often made
from the same material as the sole of the shoe. It can be high for
fashion purpose or for making a person look taller. They are also
flat for comfort and practical use.

Vamp, or upper: The upper part of a shoe that helps in holding

the shoe onto the foot is the vamp or simply called the upper. This
part is often embellished or given different styles to make shoes
attractive.

Shoe Making Process

A footwear company has mainly four departments in which a
progressive route is followed for producing finished shoes. These
are- Clicking or Cutting Department, Closing or Machining
Department, Lasting & Making Department, Finishing Department
and the Shoe Room.
Clicking or Cutting Department
In this department, the top part of the shoe or the
"upper" is made. The clicking operative is given skins
of leather, mostly cow leather but not restricted to this
type of leather. Using metal strip knives, the worker
cuts out pieces of various shapes that will take the
form of "uppers". This operation needs a high level of
skill as the expensive leather has to be wasted at the minimum
level possible. Leather may also have various defects on the
surface such as barbed wire scratches which needs to be avoided,
so that they are not used for the uppers.

Closing or Machining Department

Here the component pieces are sewn together by
highly skilled machinists so as to produce the
completed upper. The work is divided in stages. In
early stages, the pieces are sewn together on the flat
machine. In the later stages, when the upper is no
longer flat and has become three-dimensional, the
machine called post machine is used. The sewing surface of the
machine is elevated on a post to enable the operative to sew the
three dimensional upper. Various edge treatments are also done
onto the leather for giving an attractive look to the finished upper.
At this stage only, the eyelets are also inserted in order to
accommodate the laces in the finished shoes.

Lasting & Making Department

The completed uppers are molded into a shape of foot
with the help of a "Last". Last is a plastic shape that
simulates the foot shape. It is later removed from the
finished shoe to be used further in making other
shoes. Firstly, an insole to the bottom of the last is
attached. It is only a temporary attachment.
Sometimes, mostly when welted shoes are manufactured, the
insole has a rib attached to its under edge. The upper is stretched
and molded over the last and attached to the insole rib. After the
procedure completes, a "lasted shoe" is obtained. Now, the welt-
a strip of leather or plastic- is sewn onto the shoe through the rib.
The upper and all the surplus material is trimmed off the seam.
The sole is then attached to the welt and both are stitched
together. The heel is then attached which completes the "making"
of the shoe.

That was the process for heeled shoes. When a flat shoe is in the
making, there are considerably fewer operations. The insoles in
this case is flat and when the uppers are 'lasted', they are glued
down to the surface of the inner side of the insole. The part of the
upper, that is glued down, is then roughed with a wire brush to
take off the smooth finish of the leather. This is done because
rough surface absorbs glue to give a stronger bond. The soles are
usually cut, finished and prepared as a separate component so
that when they are glued to the lasted upper, the result is a
complete and finished shoe. Soles can also be pre-molded as a
separate component out of various synthetic materials and again
glued to the lasted upper to complete the shoe.

Finishing Department and the Shoe Room

The finishing of a shoe depends on the material used
for making it. If made of leather, the sole edge and
heel are trimmed and buffed to give a smooth finish.
To give them an attractive finish and to ensure that
the edge is waterproof, they are stained, polished and
waxed. The bottom of the sole is often lightly buffed,
stained and polished and different types of patterns are marked
on the surface to give it a craft finished look. A "finished shoe" has
now been made.

For shoe room operation, an internal sock is fitted into shoe which
can be of any length- full, half or quarter. They usually have the
manufacturers details or a brand name wherever applicable.
Depending on the materials used for the uppers, they are then
cleaned, polished and sprayed. Laces and any tags that might
have to be attached to the shoes, such as shoe care instructions,
are also attached. The shoes, at last, get packaged in boxes.

Parts of Shoes:
Parts

Sole

Gluing a new outsole to an athletic shoe

The bottom of a shoe is called the sole.

Insole

The insole is the interior bottom of a shoe, which sits directly

beneath the foot under the footbed (also known as sock liner).
The purpose of insole is to attach to the lasting margin of the
upper, which is wrapped around the last during the closing of the
shoe during the lasting operation. Insoles are usually made of
cellulosic paper board or synthetic non woven insole board. Many
shoes have removable and replaceable footbeds. Extra cushioning
is often added for comfort (to control the shape, moisture, or
smell of the shoe) or health reasons (to help deal with defects in
the natural shape of the foot or positioning of the foot during
standing or walking). Basically, this is a main part of shoes which
can absorb foot sweat. Footbeds should typically use foam
cushioning sheets like latex and eva, which provide good wearing
comfort of the shoe.

Outsole

The outsole is the layer in direct contact with the ground. Dress
shoes often have leather or resin rubber outsoles; casual or work-
oriented shoes have outsoles made of natural rubber or a
synthetic material like Polyurethane. The outsole may comprise a
single piece, or may be an assembly of separate pieces of
different materials. Often the heel of the sole has a rubber plate
for durability and traction, while the front is leather for style.
Specialized shoes will often have modifications on this design:
athletic or so called cleated shoes like soccer, rugby, baseball and
golf shoes have spikes embedded in the outsole to grip the
ground.

Midsole

The layer in between the outsole and the insole that is typically
there for shock absorption. Some types of shoes, like running
shoes, have another material for shock absorption, usually
beneath the heel of the foot, where one puts the most pressure
down. Different companies use different materials for the
midsoles of their shoes. Some shoes may not have a midsole at
all.

Heel

The bottom rear part of a shoe is the heel. Its function is to

support the heel of the foot. They are often made of the same
material as the sole of the shoe. This part can be high for fashion
or to make the person look taller, or flat for a more practical and
comfortable use.

Women's high heel pump

Vamp/upper

Every shoe has an upper part that helps hold the shoe onto the
foot. In the simplest cases, such as sandals or flip-flops, this may
be nothing more than a few straps for holding the sole in place.
Closed footwear, such as boots, trainers and most men's shoes,
will have a more complex upper. This part is often decorated or is
made in a certain style to look attractive.

Lateral/medial

The outside part of the shoe is referred to as the lateral and the
inside facing part of the shoe is the medial. This can be in
reference to either the outsole or the vamp.

Accessories

• Shoehorn: can be used to insert a foot into a shoe by

keeping the shoe open and providing a smooth surface for
the foot to slide upon.
• Shoe tree: placed inside the shoe when user is not wearing
it, to help maintain the shoe's shape.
• Heel grip: used to prevent the shoe from slipping on the heel
if the fit is not perfect
• Foam tap: a small foam pad placed under the ball of the foot
to push the foot up and back if the shoe is too loose.
• Shoe polishing equipment:
o Shoe polish: a waxy material spread on shoes to
improve appearance, glossiness, and provide
protection.
o Shoe brush and polishing cloth: used to apply polish to
shoes.
• Overshoes or galoshes: a rubber covering placed over shoes
for rain and snow protection.
• (Orthopedic) shoe insert: insert of various materials for
cushioning, improved fit, or reduced abrasion. These include
padding and inner linings. Inserts may also be used to
correct foot problems.
• Shoe bag: a bag that protects shoes against damage when
they are not being worn.
• Shoe stretcher: a tool for making a shoe longer or wider or
for reducing discomfort in areas of a shoe.
• Snow shoe: a wooden or leather piece which increases the
area of ground covered by the shoe.
 • Shoelaces: a system used to secure shoes.

Types

Dress and casual

Dress shoes are characterized by smooth and supple leather

uppers, leather soles, and narrow sleek figure. Casual shoes are
characterized by sturdy leather uppers, non-leather outsoles, and
wide profile.

Some designs of dress shoes can be worn by either gender. The

majority of dress shoes have an upper covering, commonly made
of leather, enclosing most of the lower foot, but not covering the
ankles. This upper part of the shoe is often made without
apertures or openings, but may also be made with openings or
even itself consist of a series of straps, e.g. an open toe featured
in women's shoes. Shoes with uppers made high to cover the
ankles are also available; a shoe with the upper rising above the
ankle is usually considered a boot but certain styles may be
referred to as high-topped shoes or high-tops. Usually, a high-
topped shoe is secured by laces or zippers, although some styles
have elastic inserts to ease slipping the shoe on.

Men's

This male dress shoe, known as a blucher, is distinguished by its

open lacing.

Men's shoes can be categorized by how they are closed:

 • Oxfords (also referred as "Balmorals"): the vamp has a V-
shaped slit to which the laces are attached; also known as
"closed lacing". The word "Oxford" is sometimes used by
American clothing companies to market shoes that are not
Balmorals, such as Blüchers.
• Blüchers (American), Derbys (British): the laces are tied to
two pieces of leather independently attached to the vamp;
also known as "open lacing".
• Monk-straps: a buckle and strap instead of lacing
• Slip-ons: There are no lacings or fastenings. The popular
loafers are part of this category, as well as less popular
styles, such as elastic-sided shoes.

Men's shoes can also be decorated in various ways:

• Plain-toes: have a sleek appearance and no extra

decorations on the vamp.
• Cap-toes: has an extra layer of leather that "caps" the toe.
This is possibly the most popular decoration.
• Brogues (American: wing-tips): The toe of the shoe is
covered with a perforated panel, the wing-tip, which extends
down either side of the shoe. Brogues can be found in both
balmoral and blucher styles.

Women's

Women's shoes on display in a shop window, 2005

There is a large variety of shoes available for women, in addition
to most of the men's styles being more accepted as unisex. Some
broad categories are:

• High-heeled footwear is footwear that raises the heels,

typically 2 inches (5 cm) or more above the toes, commonly
worn by women for formal occasions or social outings.
Variants include kitten heels (typically 1½-2 inches high)
and stilletto heels (with a very narrow heel post) and
wedge heels (with a wedge-shaped sole rather than a heel
post).

• Sneaker boot or sneaker pump: a shoe that looks like an

athletic shoe, but is equipped with a heel, making it a kind of
novelty dress shoe.

• Mules are shoes or slippers with no fitting around the heel

(i.e. they are backless)

• Slingbacks are shoes which are secured by a strap behind

the heel, rather than over the top of the foot.

• Ballet flats, known in the UK as ballerinas, ballet pumps

or skimmers, are shoes with a very low heel and a relatively
short vamp, exposing much of the instep. They are popular
for warm-weather wear, and may be seen as more
comfortable than shoes with a higher heel.

• Court shoes, known in the US as pumps, are typically high-

heeled, slip-on dress shoes.

Unisex
The flip-flop sandal, worn both by men and women

• Clog
• Platform shoe: shoe with very thick soles and heels
• Moccasin: originated by Native Americans, a soft shoe
without a heel and usually made of leather.
• Sandals: open shoes consisting of a sole and various straps,
leaving much of the foot exposed to air. They are thus
popular for warm-weather wear, because they let the foot be
cooler than a closed-toed shoe would.
• Espadrilles are casual flat warm-weather shoes of a style
which originated in the Pyrenees. They usually have a cotton
or canvas upper and a flexible sole of rope or rubber. There
are high-heeled versions for women.
• Saddle shoe: leather shoe with a contrasting saddle-shaped
band over the instep, typically white uppers with black
"saddle".
• Slip-on shoe: a dress or casual shoe without laces; often
with tassels, buckles, or coin-holders (penny loafers).
• Boat shoes, also known as "deck shoes": similar to a loafer,
but more casual. Laces are usually simple leather with no
frills. Typically made of leather and featuring a soft white
sole to avoid marring or scratching a boat deck. The first
boat shoe was invented in 1935 by Paul Sperry.
• Boots: Long shoes (covering the ankle) frequently made of
leather. Some are designed to be used in times of bad
weather, or simply as an alternate style of casual or dress
wear. Styles include rubber boots and snow boots, as well as
work boots and hiking boots.
• Slippers: For indoor use, commonly worn with pajamas.
• Vibram FiveFingers, meant to simulate the "natural"
experience of going barefoot, while protecting the foot
• Sneakers or Canvas shoes

Athletic
Today the most popular shoe globally: the sports shoe adapted for
everyday use
Men's and women's athletic shoes and special function shoes
often have less difference between the sexes than in dress shoes.
In many cases these shoes can be worn by either sex. Emphasis
tends to be more on function than style.

• Running shoes: very similar to above, with additional

emphasis on cushioning.
• Track spikes: lightweight; often with plastic or metal cleats
• Cleat (shoe): a type of shoe featuring molded or removable
studs. Usually worn while playing sports such as rugby,
football, American football, or baseball.
•
• Golf shoes: with "spikes" for better grip in grass and wet
ground. Originally the spikes or "cleats" were made of metal
but replaceable "soft spikes" made of synthetic plastic-like
materials with prongs distributed radially around the edge of
each spike are much more common today (and are required
on many golf courses since they cause less damage to the
greens).
• Bowling shoes: intermediate style between ordinary dress
shoes and athletic shoes. They have harder rubber
soles/heels so as not to damage bowling alley floors. They
are often rented or loaned at bowling alleys.
• Climbing shoes: a shoe designed for rock climbing. They
typically have a close fit, little if any padding, and a smooth
sticky rubber sole with an extended rubber rand.
• Hiking shoes or boots: usually have a high somewhat stiff
upper with many lace eyelets, to provide ankle support on
uneven terrain, with extra large traction on the sole.
• Walking shoes: have a more flexible sole than the running
shoe, lighter in weight than the hiking boot, may have air
holes, may not be water proof.
• Skating shoes: typically called skates. They have various
attachments for skating on the bottom of the shoe portion.
o Ice skates
o Roller skates
o Inline skates
• Ski boot: a large, thick plastic boot specially designed for
attachment to the ski.
 • Skate shoes: specifically designed for use in Skateboarding,
the shoes are manufactured with flat soles as to allow a
skateboarder to have better grip when riding a skateboard.
They are very wide and have extra layers of padding to
protect the skateboarders feet.
• Cycling shoes are equipped with a metal or plastic cleat to
interface with clipless pedals, as well as a stiff sole to
maximize power transfer and support the foot.
• Snowshoes are special shoes for walking in thick snow. In
temperate climates, snowshoes are used for mostly
recreational purposes in winter.
• Wrestling shoes are light, flexible shoes that mimic bare
feet while providing additional traction and protection.

Orthopedic

Orthopedic or "comfort" shoes are made with pedorthic and

anatomically-correct comfort qualities, such as padded removable
footbeds, wide toe boxes and arch support are made especially
for those with problematic feet.

Dance

• Pointe shoes are designed for ballet dancing. These have a

toe box that is stiffened with glue and a hardened sole so the
dancer can stand on the tips of their toes. They are secured
by elastic straps and ribbons that are tied to the dancer's
ankles.
• Ballet shoes are soft, highly pliable shoes made of canvas
or leather, with either continuous or two-part sole (also
called split-sole). The sole is typically made of leather, with
thicker material under the ball and heel of the foot, and
thinner and thus more flexible material under the arch so
that the foot can be pointed to its utmost. Ballet slippers are
usually secured by elastics that cross over the top of the
foot. They are most commonly pink, white, black, or pale tan,
although they may be made in specialty colours such as red
or blue.
• Ghillies are soft shoes that are used in Irish dance, Scottish
country dance, and highland dance.
• Jazz shoes typically have a two-part, rubberized sole (also
called split-sole) to provide both flexibility and traction, and a
low (one inch or shorter) heel. They are secured to the foot
by laces or elastic inserts.
• Tango and Flamenco shoes are used for dancing the tango
or flamenco.
• Ballroom shoes fall into two categories: Ballroom and Latin
American. Both are characterised by suede soles. Men's
ballroom shoes are typically lace-ups with one-inch heels and
patent leather uppers. Ladies' ballroom shoes are typically
court shoes with two-inch heels, made of fabric that can be
colored to match the dancer's dress. In contrast to the low
Ballroom heel, which evenly distributes weight across the
foot, Latin American shoes have higher heels designed to
shift weight onto the toes. Latin shoes are also more flexible
than ballroom shoes. Men's Latin shoes typically have 1.5- to
2-inch high, shaped heels, while Ladies' Latin shoes have
2,5-inch to 3-inch heels. Ladies shoes are typically open-toed
and strapped.
• Dance sneakers. Also known as dansneakers, these are a
combination of a sneaker and a dance shoe, with a
reinforced rubber toe.
• Character shoes have a one to three inch heel, which is
usually made of leather, and often have one or more straps
across the instep to secure it to the foot. They may come in
soft-soled (suede) or hard-soled varieties. They may be
converted to tap shoes by attaching taps.
• Foot thongs are known by various names depending on the
manufacturer, including dance paws, foot undies, and foot
paws. They are slip-on, partial foot covers that protect the
ball of a dancer's foot from skin abrasions while executing
turns. From a distance, flesh colored foot thongs give a
dancer the appearance of having bare feet.
• Tap shoes have metal plates mounted to the bottoms of the
toe and heel. The metal plates, which are known as taps,
make a loud sound when struck against a hard performance
surface. Tap shoes, which are used in tap dancing, may be
made from any style of shoe to which taps can be attached.
 Jazz shoes. This style
Ballet shoes is frequently worn by A foot thong,
Pointe shoes acro dancers viewed from the
bottom

Ladies'
Ghillies ballroom Mens' ballroom shoesTap shoes
shoes

Types of leather:

Different Types of Leather

Leather is the end product of the processing done on the skin or
hide of animals. There are number of various types of leather
available these days. The article gives a brief information on
different types of leather...
Skin of cattle like cow, sheep is mainly used for production of
leather. Leather has a wide range of uses and is used for making
clothes, upholstery and shoes.

Types of leather can be classified on the basis of the part of hide

used as raw material for making the leather. Grain, with respect
to leather, is referred to as the part of hide that is obtained by
removing the hair. Grain can be split into two layers: top grain
and split. Split has no content of the natural grain and is the lower
layer of the natural grain obtained.

Full grain or Top grain Leather

Full grain leather is the leather that is formed just by removing

the hair present on the epidermis of the hide. It is the most
natural form of leather, since no polishing and finishing is done to
the grain obtained. There are two methods of giving a finished
touch to full grain leather, they are aniline and semi-aniline. In
aniline finish the leather is dipped in a transparent dye that colors
the leather uniformly, without loosing its natural effect. When an
extra coating is given to prevent stain, it is called as semi-aniline
finish. Full grain leather is the most expensive and good quality
leather. This leather, being in its most natural form, is the most
popular type of leather. It is much expensive and comfortable
type of leather.

Split Leather

Split leather is leather made from the remaining part of the hide
after the removal of the top grain. This leather is harder and
cheaper than the full grain leather. Split leather is comparatively
more fragile and gets easily damaged, if not handled properly.
Split leathers are often used to produce suede leather.
Corrected grain Leather

Full grain leather, polished to remove or correct the scratches

present on the grain is referred to, as corrected grain. The hides
used in the corrected grain leather are of inferior quality. Semi-
aniline and pigmented can be the two types of finishing
techniques used for corrected grain leather. Most of the times,
pigmented leather is preferred as it is better at correcting the
scratches.

Nubuck/ Buffed / Suede Leather

It is formed by splitting the layer between the grain and the hide.
The surface of this leather is buffed to create a soft layer. It is
cheaper as compared to full grain leather. However, it is fragile in
nature, as it quickly gets damaged, when it comes in contact with
any liquid. Suede is not a good option to be used for upholstery.
The surface of this type of leather has a velvet like feeling.

Bicast or Coated Leather

It is a synthetic type of split leather, that is made by applying a

layer of polyurethane to the surface. This leather is more durable
as compared to other types of leathers. Initially, this type of
leather was used only in the shoe industry, but these days,
because of its high durability and economic price, it is also used
for upholstery in commercial places like bars.

Faux Leather
It is man made leather, and is durable because of the synthetic
materials used. It is widely used in commercial places for the
furniture, because it is the cheapest type of leather and does not
get damaged soon, and looks like original leather.

All the different types of leather have their own characteristic

look, feel and thus, are used for different purposes. Leather has
always been in fashion as it looks classic and is durable.

Originality of leather

How many times have we seen the advertisement claiming

"Genuine leather" Or "Quality Leather". Just what is Genuine
Leather, or Quality Leather, how do I know I didn't get ripped off?

First, what is leather. Leather simply stated is the skin of an

animal. So as long as the material is made from the skin of an
animal, they can claim "Genuine Leather". Quality leather is a
different story. When you finish reading this, you will be able to
look at a leather garment and tell immediately if it is quality or
not.

You may or may not have noticed that the flea markets, grocery
stores, drug stores, and warehouse department stores have been
selling the "Genuine Leather" Coats, Jackets, backpacks and
luggage. They are of a patchwork design, and usually lined. These
are typically made of lambskin leather and being sold for unreal
cheap prices. There is nothing wrong with lambskin leather. In
fact it is the leather of choice for any leather that is worn close to
the skin. The lining too is a benefit if it is used for comfort or
insulation. The patchwork design is the first indication that this is
poor quality leather. The patchwork design is because they swept
the scraps off the floor from the manufacture of other garments,
fed them through a machine to sew the scraps together, created
another sheet of leather and made more garments. The leather
itself could made of various grades.
Let's talk about grades of leather. There are 3 primary grades of
leather:

Grade 1 or "full-Grain" clear, supple, and clean, is consistent in

color, has the highest yield of over 90% and the surface is
smoothest.

Grade 2 is less consistent in color, has a yield of 78% and the

surface is slightly imperfect.

Grade 3 is a blotchy and very inconsistent in color, has a yield of

40% and the surface is very imperfect and will feel stiff, partly
from the excessive coating needed to hide imperfections.

These grades are standard no mater what type of animal the

leather came from. There are a lot of different types of animals
that are used for leather. Everything from lamb to cow, and
alligator to Ostrich. The two most popular for use in garments are
lamb and cow. For the sake of this article we will discuss these
two.

LAMBSKIN

The softest, thinnest, most supple skin. A Buttery texture and

finely grained. Stretches well and tends to reshape after wearing -
has a type of memory. Drapes well, flows, and has good
movement - very form fitting.
Higher-end leather-wear. Classy and more fashionable look.

LAMB TOUCH COW or COW NAPPA

Thin, Soft and supple - close in look and feel to lamb but is not
lamb. A Smoother finish and finer texture to cow hide. Lightweight
- has good movement and draping ability.
Sportswear and outerwear. Dressed-up, fashionable look. Coats
skirts, pants, and vests.

COW HIDE

Very tough wearing and durable. Heaviest of the cowhides. Very

noticeable texture skin and grainy.
Mostly outerwear - especially jackets. Weekend casual, ready-to-
wear.

Ok, now we know the different grades, and types of leather, how
do we know we got the good stuff? First, use your eyes. A very
good way to tell if you're purchasing a garment of HIGH-quality
leather is to look at the seams and needle marks. If they seem to
be a different color than the garment itself this could mean that
the garment is dyed on the surface only - surface-dyed as
opposed to aniline-dyed leather (dyed on both sides).

Surface-dyed leather is much different to aniline-dyed leather

because surface-dying is like adding a coat of paint to wood. It
merely covers up the wood's natural surface and defects. Aniline-
dyed leather is like adding varnish to wood, varnish allows the
woods natural beauty to shine through by penetrating the surface
instead of covering it up. The natural beauty of high-quality
leather is visible through a sheer, rich aniline dye.

Check the items for overall color and craftsmanship. While all
skins contain some natural marks, there should not be any large
unsightly blemishes on the piece you are inspecting. A good
manufacturer of leather apparel will not use leather of 2nd or 3rd
grade.

Next, use your nose. The garment should smell like leather, not
chemicals. And while we are on the subject of chemicals, you
want leather that has not been treated with Azo Dye. Azo Dye is
toxic and has been linked to many skin reactions.

And lastly, feel it. Is it soft to the touch, is it smooth. It should be

free of any bumps and it should flex easily. It should not be stiff
and hard to bend.

Be sure to read my next article on how to care for your leather

garments.

Jim owns and operates an on line store of sexy leather

[http://www.hotstuffleatherandlace.net/sexy-leather/index.php]
where he also publishes many articles and information. Feel free
to visit our forums and comment on any of his articles. You can
find him here [http://www.hotstuffleatherandlace.net]

NEXT ARTICLE

How to Check for Leather Quality

By sherry hammond, eHow Member

Top Grain Waxed Leather

User-Submitted Article

Leather is one of the most desirable and fashionable fabrics in the

marketplace today. From furniture to clothing and accessories,
leather goods make up a large percent of items purchase by
consumers. Leather is available in various colors, styles, and of
course prices. So how do you make sure you are getting the
highest quality leather for your money. One of the first indicators
of leather quality is the price. Remember, the old saying, "you get
what you pay for." Therefore, as a consumer or leather hobbyist,
there are ways to get past the price and evaluate what you are
actually buying, just take your time and thoroughly inspect the
leather to determine the differences in the leather quality,
consider these steps:
Difficulty: Easy
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Good Judgement
• Sense of Touch
• Great Eyesight
• A Good Nose

1.

The animal, bird, fish, or reptile from which the leather is from
makes the biggest difference in quality. Exotic leather's are the
most desirable right now in the market. Exotic leather is know
for it's durability, and richness. However, keep in mind that
even within this category of leather quality will vary. For
example, not all ostrich is equal. The tanning process is
another factor that determines leather quality. As soon as the
hide is taken, it begins to deteriorate. This makes perfect sense
because hide, like skin starts as living tissue. How the hide is
cared for immediately after removal and what is used to
preserve it is very important to how high the quality will be. Try
to find out a little bit about the source if possible. Keep in mind
the finest leather quality is clear, supple, and clean, which is
called full-grain, lower leather quality will feel stiff, mostly from
the excessive coating needed to hide imperfections.

2.

You want to find leather that shows the variations in the grain,
look and feel for fat wrinkles that naturally covered fatty areas
of the animal. Don't forget to smell the leather. I know this may
sound weird but it is an important step. If it has a rotten smell
or chemical smell, then it is not good quality. Poor quality
 leather will omit an odor from the processing chemicals and in
some rare cases, the leather will smell decayed or even retain
the smell of manure. Simply look for something that looks,
smells and feels natural.

3.

Next you want to consider where the leather came from, keep
in mind that without a doubt, European leather is the finest you
will find anywhere, but also the most expensive. So if price is a
factor for you that Northern American leather may be a better
choice. Their leather is very good quality and usually more
affordable. Other locations will be the most affordable, but also
of lesser quality.

Trust your instincts, and use your senses, (sight, smell, and
touch that is)and you will be able to purchase high quality
leather products to accent your home, and your wardrobe.

More information about Leather:-

There are various types of leather available in the global market

depending on the end usage. These different types of leather are
obtained by making them undergo through different processes to
give them the required properties. The difference in types of
leather can also come from the animal source they are derived
from. Accordingly there are leathers made from cow, sheep, goat,
pig, lamb etc. Some of the popular types of leather used for
manufacturing various leather accessories are:

Vegetable Tanned Leather– This type of leather is obtained

from Oak (bark) and other plants that contain natural tannins.
Vegetable tanned leather can stretch easily, especially when
soaked in water. It can also be easily carved, molded, hardened,
dyed, painted, oiled, waxed... It is one of the most expensive
types of leather.
Chrome Tanned Leather– This type of leather is made by
soaking the hide of the animal in an acidic bath; high in
chromium. The lather is less stretchy, and cannot be carved or
molded etc. The leather is relatively cheap.

Oil Tanned Leather- This type of leather is one of the most

supple leathers available. It has a slightly oily feel to the surface.

Combination Leather – This type of leather can either be

vegetable-oil tanned or made from some other combination.

Buckskin Leather – This type of leather is incredibly soft, iswater

friendly, strong, and stretchy hide that has been treated in a basic
solution made from wood ash or lime.

Deer hide- This type of leather is made from deer hide and has
to be treated by more "modern" tanning methods. The leather is
soft and supple, but it lacks many of the other qualities of true
buckskin.

Rawhide - This type of leather is made from untanned hide,

usually of cattle. It is stiff when dry, and becomes supple and very
stretchy when wet.

Cowhide- This type of leather is the most common and is a staple

of any supplier. It can be somewhat stiff at times but is available
in many weights and cuts.

Pig skin hide- This type of leather is tougher than cowhide of the
same weight.

Napa leather-This type of leather is made from sheep skin and is

naturally one of the softest leathers and is closest in "hand" to a
baby's skin.

Full Grain Leather - This type of leather is the best leather

money can buy. Iit is made from the strongest part of leather and
hence is quite durable.
Top Grain Leather -This type of leather id of second highest
grade. It is obtained by splitting it from the blemished hide and is
sanded and refinished.

Genuine Leather – This type of leather is made from layers of an

animal's hide that remain after the top is split off for the better
grades.

Bonded Leather - This type of leather is leather's bottom and is

weak. It degrades quickly and hence not used much.

Nubuck Leather - Nubuck leather is the top grain cow hide with
brush kind of effect having short nap along with softness. It is
more stain resistant compared to other anilines.

Split Leather - Split leather is made of inner layers of a hide that

have been split away from the upper layers. It is very fragile
typically used in the form suede.