A Goodyear welt is a strip of
leather
Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and hogs, ...
,
rubber
Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Thailand, Malaysia, and ...
, or
plastic
Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient. Their plasticity makes it possible for plastics to be moulded, extruded or pressed into solid objects of various shapes. This adaptab ...
that runs along the perimeter of a
shoe
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. They are often worn with a sock. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration and fashion. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture t ...
outsole. The machinery used for the process was invented in 1869 by Charles Goodyear Jr., the son of
Charles Goodyear
Charles Goodyear (December 29, 1800 – July 1, 1860) was an American self-taught chemist and manufacturing engineer who developed vulcanized rubber, for which he received patent number 3633 from the United States Patent Office on June 15, 1844.
...
. It has been noted by historians that Goodyear was a frequent visitor to the shoe factory of William J. Dudley, founder of
Johnston & Murphy
Johnston & Murphy is an American footwear and clothing company. A wholly owned subsidiary of Genesco Inc. and based in Nashville, Tennessee, Johnston & Murphy designs, sources, markets and distributes footwear, apparel, leather goods and lug ...
, where early work on sole stitching equipment was performed.
Construction
"Goodyear welt construction" involves stitching a welt to the upper and a strip of preformed canvas like a "rib" that runs all around and bottom (known as "gemming") cemented to the insole of a
shoe
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. They are often worn with a sock. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration and fashion. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture t ...
as an attach-point for the outsole or midsole (depending on the Goodyear welt variant). The space enclosed by the welt is then filled with
cork
Cork or CORK may refer to:
Materials
* Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product
** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container
***Wine cork
Places Ireland
* Cork (city)
** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...
or some other filler material such as foam (usually either porous or perforated, for breathability and cushioning), and the outsole is both cemented and stitched to the welt. Shoes with other types of construction may also have welts.
Process
The Goodyear welt process is a machine-based alternative to the traditional hand-welted method (c. 1500) for the manufacture of men's shoes, allowing them to be resoled repeatedly.
The upper part of the shoe is shaped over the
last
A last is a mechanical form shaped like a human foot. It is used by shoemakers and cordwainers in the manufacture and repair of shoes. Lasts typically come in pairs and have been made from various materials, including hardwoods, cast iron, and ...
and fastened on by sewing a leather, linen or synthetic strip (also known as the "welt") to the inner and upper sole. As well as using a welt, stitching holds the material firmly together.
The welt forms a cavity which is then filled with a
cork
Cork or CORK may refer to:
Materials
* Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product
** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container
***Wine cork
Places Ireland
* Cork (city)
** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...
material. The final part of the shoe is the sole, which is attached to the welt by some combination of stitching and a high strength adhesive like
contact cement
Impact glue, contact glue or neoprene glue, is a type of glue, used mainly to glue plastic foams, laminates, metal panels, etc. .
It also allows the mounting of supports of different types (metal on wood, cork on plaster, wood on cement, etc ...
or hide glue. The result is highly valued for being relatively waterproof by minimizing water penetration into the insole and the relative ease of resoling as long as the upper remains viable. Welted shoes are more expensive to manufacture than those mass-produced by automated machinery with molded soles.
References
Further reading
*
R.A. Salaman, ''The Dictionary of Leather-Working Tools'' c. 1700-1950, Allen & Unwin, London 1986. pp. 182
*J.H. Thornton, Northampton College of Technology, ''Textbook of Footwear Manufacture'', pps. 28-32, National Trade Press, UK 1953
*F.Y. Golding, edited by, ''Boots and Shoes'', Vol. VI, pp. 178 The New Era Publishing, London 1936
*
External links
Video: How Goodyear Welted Shoes are made USA ca. 1930pdf Document: The manufacture of boots and shoes : being a modern treatise of all the processes of making and manufacturing footgear (1902)pdf Document: Original Goodyear Welt Patent 18693D Animation Goodyear Welted Patent
{{Footwear
Footwear components