What goes into the shoe
Six material groups, sourced mostly within two hours of the factory. Where a client brings their own supplier we work with it, subject to a lasting trial first.
| Group | What we hold and use |
|---|---|
| Uppers | Italian calf, nappa, patent, suede and printed leathers from tanneries in Tuscany and Veneto; recycled polyester satin and grosgrain for occasion work. |
| Linings | Vegetable-tanned goat and pig linings as standard; unlined constructions where the upper is heavy enough to hold shape. |
| Insoles and footbeds | Cellulose board insoles, latex or PU footbeds, memory foam where the brief asks for it. |
| Soles | Leather with rubber top pieces, TR and TPU units, and a lightweight EVA unit for platform styles. |
| Heels | ABS injection or turned wood, covered in the upper leather or finished in lacquer, brass or painted metal effects. |
| Adhesives and treatments | Water-based adhesives throughout since 2019; chrome-free tanning available on request and priced separately. |
Sourcing
Upper leathers come from tanneries in Tuscany and the Veneto, most of which we have bought from for more than fifteen years. Lead time on a stock article is two to three weeks; a special dye lot is six to eight and has a minimum of 300 square metres, which is a real constraint on a small first order.
Chrome-free and vegetable tanning
Available and priced separately. Vegetable-tanned uppers behave differently on the last — they mould beautifully and they mark easily — so we require a lasting trial before committing a run. Linings are vegetable-tanned as standard regardless of what the upper is.
Adhesives
The factory moved to water-based adhesives across all cemented constructions in 2019. They need a longer press cycle and a warmer room, which is why the change took two years rather than a month.
Recycled and alternative materials
We work with recycled polyester satins and grosgrain, recycled-content TPU units and cork-blend footbeds. On plant-based leather alternatives we are cautious and say so: several perform poorly around a heel seat under load, and we would rather trial one on your last than sell you a story about it.
Material declarations
Every production run ships with a material declaration listing supplier, article, composition and country of origin for each component, which is what you need for labelling and for customs.
