We could be your Sole-mate.
Arooq
Years of craftsmanship passed on from generation to generation is the essence of what creates the beauty you walk in.
Shoes around the world are made by various different materials used to attach them to build a firm shoe, though mainly the process remains more or less similar. Let us take you though the journey of how our shoes are made.
The construction of our shoe goes through the process of cutting the last based on the foot size. Once the shoe design is finalized, the chosen material goes to the craftsman to be marked and cut out. This process is called Pattern Cutting.
The various parts of the shoe, once cut, are marked and sent forth for the assembly of the upper. While making the upper, the first step is to mark the edges where the parts will be joined, and where the decorations and eyelets are to be cut and punched.
Depending on the style of the upper the time for making the footwear is calculated. The Complete Hand Woven shoes takes the craftsman about an entire days labour work to bring the upper of the shoe to life.
The edges that will be sewn together are pared down – a process called skiving – so that a ridge isn’t formed due to double thickness. This is also the stage wherein the craftsman punches in the eyelet holes and brogue pattern. No pattern is marked for the artistic, geometric perforations; the craftsman relies on his good eye and instinctive feel, acquired after years of experience. Brogueing is done along the seam and on the toe cap, as the design dictates. A sewing machine is used to stitch the uppers together. The completed upper is reinforced with an adhesive rubber solution and leather lining. After removing the traces of rubber solution from the perforations, the upper is sent forward to the next stage.
The Shoe maker fits the insole, the sole, the welt, the counters, the toe cap and the heel lift. The insole is nailed to the last, and the upper is fixed onto the insole with pliers. The craftsman then stitches the upper and insole together with stiff, strong cobbler’s thread (usually hemp), the nature of the stitches depends on whether the shoe is welted or double stitched. The craftsman then fits the upper and insole over the last. The upper is first fastened on with metal tacks, the material is streched to shape with pliers, bends the material over the insole, and reattaches it. The folds in the toe cap and heel areas are smoothed away and curved into shape. After the lasting process is concluded, the upper is hammered with the disk-shaped end of the cobbler’s hammer. The wrinkles and creases in the side of the shoe are completely removed by skillful hammering.
An important initial step in soling is the fitting of the shank spring and cork reinforcement in the hollow space left due to the upper and the welt. Sole-stitching is a delicate procedure, as the craftsman must ensure that the thread is pulled through with the same amount of force for every single stitch
The various layers of the heel are attached one by one to the welt, each undergoing a process of hammering, roughening, and layering with adhesive. The outside of the heel is cut away with a sharp knife, in a way that the inner ankle forms a 90 degree angle with the ground.
Lastly, the sole and the heel are cleaned, polished and decorated in accordance with the style of the shoe. Finally the craftsman takes out the last with an iron hook. In the finishing phase, the surface of the shoe is ironed with an anvil tool. The finger marks of the shoemakers are removed with soft flannel and lukewarm water. Each tiny detail, including smoothing, applying the shoe cream, and polishing the upper, is given complete attention.
The Finished Shoe you receive is the result of meticulous designing and hours of skillful Labour.
