The History of Shoemaking and Sports Shoes

• The average British man owns nine pairs of shoes, while the average British woman owns 17 pairs.
• The largest sport shoe factory in the UK produces over 1.4 million shoes per year, with 3,500 pairs made daily.
• The factory uses 140 miles of cotton thread and over 32 million individual stitches.
• The factory produces over 30 different styles of shoes, with the 576 classic leather trainer being one of their biggest sellers.
• The 576 classic leather trainer is made up of 27 individual pieces and has been in production for nearly 30 years.
• The factory uses a combination of materials, including leather, polyester, and foam, with synthetic materials making up a significant portion of modern trainers.
• New Balance gets their leather from Pittard's tannery in Somerset, which processes over 50,000 square feet of leather daily.
• The tannery uses chromium sulfate to stabilize the protein in the rawhide, and the hides are treated with dye and chemicals to achieve the desired color and durability.
• The leather is then processed, shaved to a consistent thickness, and treated with polyurethane to enhance wear and tear resistance.
• The finished leather is graded for quality, with scratches and scars affecting its value.
• The factory has 279 workers, divided into six teams, each capable of making any of the company's 30 trainer designs.
• The workers are responsible for eight individual processes, from embroidery to sole fitting, to produce 444 pairs of shoes daily.
• The factory has been producing shoes since 1982 and has a reputation for making high-performance running shoes and fashionable, colorful trainers.Here is a summary of the text:
• England won the World Cup, and Billy is trying to make shoes, carefully cutting leather to minimize waste.
• Billy's "skeleton" (off-cuts of leather) is thrown away, so every cut has to count to avoid wasting material.
• Billy demonstrates his expertise in cutting leather, while the narrator struggles to cut out four pieces, wasting a lot of leather.
• The narrator visits a factory where they make shoes, including a machine that cuts black polyester and foam for the soft cushioning inside the shoe.
• Historian Ruth Goodman explains the history of trainers, which originated in Bolton, England, where Joe Foster invented the running spike in 1895.
• Foster's innovation revolutionized running, and his company went on to produce a range of sports shoes.
• In 1958, two of Foster's sons split off to form Reebok, which became a successful brand in the 1980s with the rise of aerobics and fitness.
• Today, Reebok is owned by Adidas, and its retro 80s-inspired classic range is the biggest seller.
• Back at the factory, the narrator is making their own shoes, starting with cutting out the parts, then assembling them with the help of factory workers.
• The narrator visits the embroidery department, where a machine can embroider up to 15 pieces at a time.
• Next, the narrator visits the auto-stitch department, where the different parts of the shoe are stitched together.
• The narrator then visits the finishing department, where the final touches are added to the shoe.
• The narrator designs their own shoe at Cordwainers College, a renowned shoe design school in London.
• The students at Cordwainers College design shoes, considering factors like price, commerciality, and wearability.
• The narrator chooses a design and materials for their shoe, including a Brazilian-inspired party shoe called "Rio Rave."
• The students help the narrator make the shoe, including picking materials, choosing a last, and building the shoe from scratch.
• The narrator visits a factory in Cumbria, where they make trainers with quirky British influences, such as a shoe that looks like a pub.
• The narrator learns about the history of shoemaking, including the introduction of the sewing machine in the 19th century, which revolutionized the industry.
• The narrator visits a shoemaker who still makes shoes by hand, using traditional techniques that date back to Roman times.
• The narrator tries their hand at making a shoe the traditional way, but it takes much longer than using a machine.• In the 19th century, the introduction of machinery in the shoe-making industry led to an increase in productivity, but it did not result in unemployment, as men were still needed to perform various tasks in the process.

• In the late 1850s, a company could make around half a million pairs of shoes per year, but with the introduction of machines, this number increased to five million pairs per year just 10 years later.

• The population of Northampton, a shoemaking center, doubled over the next 40 years as a result of the industry's growth.

• The transition from cottage industry to factory production was difficult for shoemakers, as they had to adapt to a new way of working.

• At the New Balance shoe factory in Cumbria, a team of workers helps make a pair of leather trainers, showcasing the skills and craftsmanship required in the process.

• The factory uses a combination of manual and machine-based processes to produce high-quality shoes.

• The first step in making a pair of shoes is cutting out the leather pieces, which is done manually.

• The leather pieces are then reinforced and embroidered, followed by stitching to form the shoe upper.

• The next stage involves manual stitching to add cushioning to the shoe.

• The shoe is then molded to shape using a machine that stretches the leather upper around a mold, gluing it firmly into position.

• The entire process, from cutting to finishing, takes around 34 minutes to complete.

• The shoes produced at the factory are exported all over the world, including to high-street stores in the UK and fifth-avenue boutiques in New York.

• Cherry visits a ballet shoe factory in London, where 95 workers produce a quarter of a million pairs of shoes every year, supplying most of the world's ballet companies and top dancers.

• The production process at the ballet shoe factory has barely changed in 87 years and involves handmade shoes created using traditional techniques.

• Each maker has their own symbol, allowing dancers to identify who made their shoes.

• The shoes are created inside out, with the inner sole stapled to a last and placed onto a satin and cotton upper.

• The toes are reinforced with a special paste made from flour, water, and secret ingredients.

• The shoes are then stitched and turned right side out, with the pleats created using a pearl and twist method.

• A hammer is used to shape the point of the shoe, and the insole is pasted in before the final stitching and quality control.

• The entire process takes around 16 hours to complete.

• The Royal Ballet gets through 13,000 pairs of shoes per year, at a cost of £250,000, and each dancer customizes their own shoes for performance.

• Principal dancer Lauren Cuspetson demonstrates how she prepares her shoes for performance, including breaking them in, making them more malleable, and adding vital wool stitches for added traction.

• The quality of the shoe is critical to a dancer's performance, and it can make or break their ability to perform.

• At the trainer factory, Cherry learns about the importance of choosing the right footwear to prevent foot problems, which affect three-quarters of the population.

• Podiatrist Matthew Fitzpatrick explains that common ailments like bunions can be caused by tight-fitting footwear and can be managed by wearing the right shoes.

• Women are more susceptible to bunions due to high heels and pointy-toed shoes.

• Fungal infections like athlete's foot can be prevented by wearing breathable shoes and not wearing the same pair two days in a row.

• Shoe size is often incorrect, and people should get their feet measured at the end of the day when they are slightly swollen.

• The finished trainers are boxed up and taken to the distribution warehouse, where pallets are wrapped up and loaded into lorries for delivery.

• The factory produces 3,626 pairs of shoes per day, with a total retail value of over £250,000.

Explore the history of shoemaking, from its origins to modern-day factories producing high-performance sports shoes. Learn about the evolution of trainers, the craftsmanship involved in making shoes, and the importance of footwear in preventing foot problems.