1 . 4 . 2020
Goodyear Welted is a shoe construction method widely recognized for its quality.
And, above anything else, to provide our customers with quality products is precisely our main goal. Naturally, therefore, Goodyear Welted is something we take very seriously, as one of the methods we at Carlos Santos Shoes use to construct shoes and bring our creations to life.
So, if you are interested in knowing everything about his process, including its advantages, continue reading along.
Goodyear Welted is a construction method used for handcrafting shoes. The process not only helps guarantee our footwear lasts longer, but it also helps with durability, due to the resoling possibilities offered by this multilayer construction, without falling out of its original shape or affecting the upper leather.
In other words, Goodyear Welted shoes and boots are also more resistant than footwear constructed through other methods.
In a world where consumers are making an effort to understand and acquire sustainable fashion products, durability has become a key point when making a purchase decision.
Goodyear Welted also provides perfect support and stability, which helps improve the overall comfort level of the shoes and offers a unique experience to the wearer. In turn, a higher level of support also means a sturdier shoe with a more refined and foot-like shape of both the sole and the last. Naturally, the result means their water resistance levels are higher than the norm.
Goodyear Welted construction is done by stitching a welt (a uniquely pre-prepared piece of leather), the upper and lining leather, to the ribbing that was already attached to the insole.
Then, all is stitched again to the outsole without causing any damage to the upper, by using the specialized machine invented more than a century ago. That welt then forms a cavity below the insole.
At Carlos Santos Shoes, this cavity is filled with cork which, over time, perfectly moulds to the shape of the foot, providing you with the comfort of a glove.
All in all, the construction relies on more than 150 different processes and more than 200 operations needed to handcraft a quality pair of Goodyear Welted shoes.
The construction method is very demanding and time-consuming, requiring the master craftmanship our team of artisan men and women are capable of providing.
Goodyear Welted offers many advantages, but four are key to understanding its full potential: resistance, comfort, quality, and design.
Resistance is the main feature provided by Goodyear Welted. The welt we use gives our shoes yet one more level of support and protection to the feet of the wearer. However, this studier component does not mean any flexibility is lost.
The comfortability level provided by Goodyear Welted comes not only from the quality materials used by Carlos Santos, but especially due to the cork we use to fill in the cavity formed by the welt.
Cork is ingrained with very special characteristics, but what matters most is its capacity to mould itself to the shape of the feet, over time.
This truly transforms our shoes into a unique product, mainly because once they shape themselves into your feet, they will truly belong only to you.
It’s also because of the cork that the Goodyear Welted shoes can provide the wearer with thermal isolation and help increase your overall comfort levels.
All combined, these features transform the shoe into a quality product, worthy of an investment.
When joined together with quality materials, the Goodyear Welted construction method is understandably one of the best methods we could use to handcraft a pair of quality shoes.
Naturally, the design must also be accounted for. After all, this may very well be the distinguishing factor at the end of the day. At Carlos Santos Shoes online store, you can find dozens of models uniquely designed by our founder, Carlos Santos.
To make use of the Goodyear Welted construction method, special machinery is needed.
In 1869, Charles Goodyear Jr., the son of Charles Goodyear, invented the Goodyear Welt, a strip that is made out of leather, rubber, or plastic, and runs along the perimeter of a shoe outsole. However, its inventor only patented this sewing machine in 1871, two years after it was first designed.
But despite the fact that it was created more than a hundred years ago, the Goodyear Welted shoe construction continues to be considered one of the finest methods of shoe construction today.
The main Goodyear Welted characteristics or features come down to the durability or sturdiness levels the shoe receives upon construction, but also the comfortability provided by the cork we use to help shape the feet of the wearer.
Thanks to the particular style of stitching the Goodyear Welted ultimately provides, the shoes acquire an appearance that possesses a beautifully unique flair, that is immediately recognizable, as the upper curves inwards in respect to the edge of the sole.
The Goodyear Welted technique produces durable and water-resistant footwear that easily adapts to the specific shape of your feet and is uniquely elegant.
However, a much less talked about characteristic of the Goodyear Welted lies in its flexibility.
This construction technique can be applied to a wide array of shoes, from boots to sneakers. Therefore, when searching for the perfect pair, there is no limitation on what the shoe type needs to be.
