Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 16 hours ago
One of the biggest differences between factory shoemaking and handmade shoemaking is how the sole is created.
In large shoe factories, a cemented sole is usually designed specifically for one shoe model. Before thousands of soles are produced, the manufacturer first makes a prototype. The upper is lasted on the shoe last with all its layers—the lining, stiffeners and every material that will become part of the finished shoe. Only then is the exact shape of the shoe bottom taken and sent to the sole manufacturer. After testing and approving the prototype, the soles are produced in large quantities.
When we make shoes by hand, we work differently. There isn't a factory waiting to produce a sole for our design. We become the sole manufacturer ourselves.
If you want to make a traditional cemented construction, the first step is also to last the shoe. From there, you can create the sole pattern directly from the lasted shoe and build the sole yourself. Depending on the footwear you want to make, you can choose many different approaches. You can use a cemented construction with a fake welt, make a real welted construction, shape a rubber sole to fit your shoe bottom, build a monoblock EVA foam sole with the heel, or create cork wedges and platforms.
This is one of the reasons I enjoy handmade shoemaking so much.
I am not limited to the ready-made soles that exist on the market. If I want a different shape, a different thickness, another heel, or another construction, I simply build it myself. It takes more time than ordering a factory sole, but it also gives complete freedom to create footwear exactly as I designed it.
Throughout my 2-Year Pro Shoemaking Program, I teach these different sole constructions and the techniques behind them, so instead of adapting your ideas to the soles you can buy, you learn how to build the soles your designs actually need.
shoemakingcoursesonline.com/on-line-courses/1-year-pro
One of the biggest differences between factory shoemaking and handmade shoemaking is how the sole is created.
In large shoe factories, a cemented sole is usually designed specifically for one shoe model. Before thousands of soles are produced, the manufacturer first makes a prototype. The upper is lasted on the shoe last with all its layers—the lining, stiffeners and every material that will become part of the finished shoe. Only then is the exact shape of the shoe bottom taken and sent to the sole manufacturer. After testing and approving the prototype, the soles are produced in large quantities.
When we make shoes by hand, we work differently. There isn't a factory waiting to produce a sole for our design. We become the sole manufacturer ourselves.
If you want to make a traditional cemented construction, the first step is also to last the shoe. From there, you can create the sole pattern directly from the lasted shoe and build the sole yourself. Depending on the footwear you want to make, you can choose many different approaches. You can use a cemented construction with a fake welt, make a real welted construction, shape a rubber sole to fit your shoe bottom, build a monoblock EVA foam sole with the heel, or create cork wedges and platforms.
This is one of the reasons I enjoy handmade shoemaking so much.
I am not limited to the ready-made soles that exist on the market. If I want a different shape, a different thickness, another heel, or another construction, I simply build it myself. It takes more time than ordering a factory sole, but it also gives complete freedom to create footwear exactly as I designed it.
Throughout my 2-Year Pro Shoemaking Program, I teach these different sole constructions and the techniques behind them, so instead of adapting your ideas to the soles you can buy, you learn how to build the soles your designs actually need.
shoemakingcoursesonline.com/on-line-courses/1-year-pro
