Dropping jewels daily.
Want to know how to start your own shoe brand? Want to see what the others won't show you? Occasionally we will drop jewels like this and give you the game they never gave us. Check out the latest feature.
How to make a Vulcanized shoe: China 2009.
This is what's called a vertical manufacturing process meaning they start with raw materials and end with a finished product.
The rubber has to be warmed, folded, massaged into the size, weight and flexibility needed.
Starting to recognize yet?
GN$ $$$$ mold.
This is a mold, happens to be a PUMA mold that was in production at the time of our visit. They cost anywhere from $1000 to $25,000 per size. This is the most expensive component when developing a shoe.
As you can imagine it's extremely hot and dangerous in the mold area for the bottom of your shoe. The rubber in this area is heated in the molds to take it's shape. The technicians are skilled and it takes a lot of experience to manage this part of the process.
The fit of a shoe depends on the design, shape and volume of the Shoe Last. The " shoe last " must represent the anatomical information of the foot, at the same time giving the finished shoe a pleasing and fashionable appearance.
Each "shoe last " is designed for a particular heel height and toe shape. Many styles of shoes can be made on the same shoe last , but the toe shape and heel height will be the same for each pair made on that shoe last. If you want to have shoes with different toe shapes, then it is necessary to create more than one pair of shoe lasts. A proper fitting pair of shoe lasts is a solid investment, and the first step towards getting proper fitting footwear.
Industry secret #1: Most people use other people's lasts in order to lower upfront costs. That's why you see so many vulcanized shoes looking like they are the same shape. We use custom last's in order to custom create our shape.
Shaping machines.
Eyelet machine.
After the shoes are assembled, shaped and fit into the aluminum last they are prepared for VULCANIZING!!! This giant oven is the Vulcanizer!!! Each shoe must be baked for 1 hour to cure and harden the rubber.
Oh yeah....were in the Vulcanized business now coming Fall 2009.
How to make a Vulcanized shoe: China 2009.
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| Finished molds. |
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Each "shoe last " is designed for a particular heel height and toe shape. Many styles of shoes can be made on the same shoe last , but the toe shape and heel height will be the same for each pair made on that shoe last. If you want to have shoes with different toe shapes, then it is necessary to create more than one pair of shoe lasts. A proper fitting pair of shoe lasts is a solid investment, and the first step towards getting proper fitting footwear.
Industry secret #1: Most people use other people's lasts in order to lower upfront costs. That's why you see so many vulcanized shoes looking like they are the same shape. We use custom last's in order to custom create our shape.
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| Cutting table. |
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| Self explanatory. |
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posted by Greedy Genius at
10:36 AM
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