Shoe dressers who are part of the shoemaking team in factories have established themselves as one of the top professions in terms of effort and dedication in the safety footwear industry.
And the fact is that the work of the boot dresser has always been one of the most sought-after but least valued, so here we give them their due recognition due to the great importance of the functions they perform and their great work within the footwear industry.
And the fact is that the dressmakers are the first to give an aspect to the design of the footwear by putting together the components of the manufactured model, thus giving their own touch of quality.
When the dresser receives the leather pieces to make the cut of the sewn shoe, a wrong execution can cause the waste of a great design, so the shoe dresser takes a great importance in the quality of the shoe.
But what are the processes involved in making a quality shoe?
Trimming and splitting sub-section
The trimmed pieces are introduced in the upper section, specifically in the “Trimming and Splitting Subsection”, where the pieces that make up the upper and lining leather of the shoe are trimmed along their edges, according to the order they are to fulfil.
Trimming
The lowering for folding is the one used for all the figures that will be turned, as is the case of the hollow and the toecap. This undercutting will not be carried out at any time on lining pieces and other components that show the edge of the same leather.
It is also necessary to carry out a wider trimming around the entire contour of the trimming line, both for the upper and lining leather, in order to prevent a possible excess thickness of the material in the trimming process. There are usually certain pieces which, in the case of requiring a homogeneous trimming along their entire length, it will be necessary to divide them.
Splitting
Splitting is appropriate when the leather to be treated shows a high level of thickness or when another component must be lined due to its curvature or sharpness of edge, among others.
Lining and reinforcement of leather
Some types of leather are reinforced and lined in advance, especially in places where there is a high level of tension in the cut of the shoe and it is necessary.
For holes that have to withstand high tension when the foot is put into the shoe or in seams where there is a risk of tearing, these elements are also usually reinforced with a tape on the inside of the shoe.
Folding
Folding can be done by hand or by machine. In fact, in both cases, similar results are achieved, although machine work can speed up the process and prevent human errors such as cuts.
Hand folding, always with great care, consists of making small cuts in the raised curves of the leather so that it does not contract when the edge is folded.
Stitching
The stitching that is carried out on the leather and lining of the instep can be categorised according to the way in which it is carried out: single stitching, double stitching or piping, among others.
Once the stitching of the heels of the instep flip-flop has been done, it is recommended that the seam be marked to prevent deformation, so that the link between the flip-flop and the lining is sewn, in order to proceed to join both instep and lining flip-flops.
With the union of both loafers, adapting perfectly to each other through the holes of the lining flip-flop, the stitching will be carried out all along the silhouette of the hole, known as “sewn edging of the hole”.
Did you know the importance of stitching in the safety footwear industry? Do you want to know more about this and other types of materials and manufacturing processes of safety footwear? Find out more interesting information in our blog.
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