Materials, finishing, manufacturing and production costs: learn everything about the birth of a shoe
Are you curious about the ins and outs of shoe making? Make the most of the cooling weather and discover the anatomy of a shoe that respects everyone. To help us in this task, our Tapir model volunteered to get naked, cheers to them.
In order to fully understand the multiple materials and assembly operations, let's first analyse the structure of the Tapir derby using this simplified diagram.
A shoe, even simple in appearance, includes about fifteen parts. The Tapir model is also called a “cycliste” (cycling shoe) for its simple design and flexibility. This timeless style had to exist in an ethical form. We carefully selected the materials that compose it for their quality and origin.
Our shoe isn’t perfect, because it unfortunately contains plastic. This may seem counterintuitive for an ethical shoe, but here are the reasons for this choice:
• The upper material is Piñatex, a 80% plant-based material. This places it at the top of the bio-sourced material pyramid, far ahead of other “vegetable leathers” (see our article on the subject here). Sadly, 100% natural textile fibers don’t have the resistance and waterproof quality that a shoe that’s meant to last needs. As for leather, it was obviously a big no no.
• Some nylon in the laces gives them a much longer life.
• Soles are made of Polyurethane – like roller skate wheels! – a material that resists abrasion so well that it will let us dance long nights before our sparkling shoes wear out.
To limit the impact of the shoes production and ensure good manufacturing conditions, we’ve also favored a 100% Spanish production and supply, with materials sourced close to the factory.
Ethical design is often a matter of compromise, and there’s plenty of room to improve in the quest for a flawless creation. If you still have questions, you will surely find the answers on our website. And if not, contact us, we love chatting with you!
