Design Department
shoes are projected and designed within the company. A refined CAD software
for the design phase is the only computerized element in the production
process.
Cutting
The leather is cut by skilled workers. Metal dies are used in about
80% of cutting operations; however, some particular models are still
hand-cut.
One third of the leather used does not comply with the high quality
standards and is therefore discarded. One pair of uppers is made up
of a minimum of 8 to a maximum of 24 pieces of leather, cut according
to precise colour, quality and dimension criteria. All pieces are subsequently
levelled and skived.
Sewing department
Sewing is the most complex operation in the production of shoes. About
50% of the process in a shoe factory is employed in the sewing department.
These operations require professional qualification and experience.
Several years of apprenticeship are needed to achieve a high degree
of proficiency. This is achieved through training courses within the
company
Hand-sewing
The production of moccasins still requires the hand-lasting of uppers
and the hand-sewing of aprons by highly specialized workers, according
to the same procedures of 50 years ago
Lasting and application
of soles
Lasting is the process through which the upper is stretched on the last,
which gives the shoe its final shape. Thus the upper part of the shoe
is complete in its essential components, although more operations (application
of welts, soles, insoles, as well as further stitching, millings and
dying) are still needed to achieve the final product
Finishing
The higher the quality degree, the higher the number of operations and
controls. All finishing operations are carried out in a special department;
cleaning, polishing, brushing, branding of soles, application of the
sock-lining with the characteristic black and white label precede the
strict quality control at the very end.