How sneakers are made

Hello World! J If anyone knows me they know I looove sneakers. I love the look, feel .. even the smell of sneakers! But sometimes as I sit and look at my new Retro Jordan’s I wonder, how are sneakers made? I did a little research and here’s what I found out.

Before you get the beautiful sneaker that you see on the rack on at Footlocker, it all starts with a drawing of the design. The product designer draws up the initial design for the sneaker they want made. It’s not as easy as you think though. Thinking of a sneaker that millions of people across the world would want to wear is hard work don’t you think? Anyway back to the topic, the drawing is then place with a group of sneaker geniuses and they decide is this sneaker will be good enough to sell to the sneaker heads like me.

After the design is approve, it is then move to the factory where they can begin creating the shoe. The pattern master then draws the design on a last to make it 3D. The shoe shell pattern is then computed into the computer (haha computed, funny word) The shoe pattern is now in a digital format which they really really REALLY need to grade sizes. Now that it is all figured out on the computer, the shoe maker prints out the design and cuts out the different parts for the shoes. They trace the cut-outs onto leather and cut them out. After this they make the first sample pull-over like shown below.

After the sample pull-over is made, a last or a model of someone’s foot usually made of plastic or aluminum are used to make the shoe shape to a person’s foot. This is critical to the shoe because it determines its whole shape. You wanted want to get a sexy behind sneaker and have it not shaped right!! That’s not cool dude not at all.

Now that they got the shape of the shoe all figured out, they can start making preparations for the sneaker materials. This is important because they cannot start ONE stitch until EVERYTHING is PERFECT. Like the mesh, dye or leather used to make the shoe. It has to be inspected for quality, color and quantity before it can even think of being on a sneaker.

Okay the materials are ready, the logos are printed, and parts are cut out. The stitching of the shoe can begin. Stitching can require as much as 3000 workers. Crazy right? Each worker has a small job to though, so to make the inspector’s job easier. Isn’t he just lucky.

Now to the sciencey stuff, making the rubber. The rubber for the outsoles of the shoes is made from synthetic and natural rubbers. Man made rubber, synthetic rubber natural rubber and filler compound are all mixed together in a machine. A roller mill is then used to remove any trap air that might be left in the rubber. When it is all mixed up, the rubber is then rolled into sheets. The uncured rubber (taffy-like rubber that be easily bent or tore) is stacked up and left until it is needed.  If color is needed, then color agents are added when it is being rolled. The rubber sheets are then put through grip and abrasion test. Uncured rubber is taken to get prepared to be pressed. A metal cutting die is used to cut out the bottom of the sneaker from the uncured rubber. Hot knifes and machines are also used to cut the uncured rubber.

Rubber making machine

The cut uncured rubber is moved to the rubber cutting room where it is about to be molded into hot metal molds. Uncured rubber parts are laid down and are squeezed by a heated hydraulic pressing machine. While in the machine the rubber flows into the mold while the heat causes it to vulcanized or improve its properties i.e strength, hardness, elasticity. The finish product is the sole of the sneaker.

Heated hydraulic pressing machine

Months and months later after hard work in the factory, the upper part of the shoe is attached to the sole and Walla! You have your finished sneaker.

Source: The Sneaker Factory