WIP

China: where shoes, among everything else in this world, are made

here's a little taste of my January trip to some shoe factories in China...

 

foxing application pre-vulcanization

Preliminary sketches

msb 12/10

Material testing

Looking for a liner material that wicks moisture but doesn't look like a mesh...

Thanks to Tim at Clarino for providing me with catalogs. Thanks to all the vendors, for that matter.

Cemented and Welt Construction

...this and vulcanized construction I am exploring for my construction methods. All are durable methods sufficient for my benefits, but each will definitely provide a unique style/look. TBD for line offerings.

Updated Problem Statement

Cultural benchmarks: Copenhagen and Japan

Product Study: Shoes that breathe

DZR... getting press

(who's that guy in the white shirt in the back creepin ;)

Waterproof 1, Water resistant 0 (unless your intent is for _resistant)

I have worked in the softgoods/footwear industry for roughly a combined 8 years prior to Industrial Design school. It seems as if I was never certain between the water resistant vs waterproof debate. So here it is...

To be truly "waterproof", the garment must be made from a "waterproof" fabric and have sealed, or taped seams so that rain does not leak in through the small perforations made by sewing needles during the construction of the garment. Sealing and taping seams takes special equipment and extra time. As such, it adds substantially to the cost of the garment. If the garment is made from a "water resistant" fabric, that usually means that a coating has been applied to the fabric to help repel water. Water resistant fabrics work very well for light rains, or drizzels, but may get soaked over time and are not considered to be "rain gear". If you are looking for protection from rain, you must look for garments made from "waterproof" fabrics, not "water resistant" fabrics.

–Bicycleapparel.com