Three Constructions, Three Price Points

The three makes

One decision that moves price, weight and lifespan

Construction is the method that fastens the upper to the sole — the second decision in any program, after the hide grade and before branding, and none moves price or lifespan more. Every model on this site carries a construction label next to its material code, because the two are quoted together.

Goodyear welted is the premium make. A leather strip — the welt — is sewn to the upper and the insole rib, and the outsole is stitched to the welt rather than to the shoe. The seam sits outside the footbed, which keeps water out of the stitch line and gives the make its better water resistance. Because the outsole attaches to the welt, it can be replaced: a Goodyear welted shoe is resoleable, and its structured build holds the shape of the last through years of wear. It is also the most demanding of the three in both cost and lead time.

Blake takes a different route: the sole is stitched directly to the insole from inside the shoe. With no welt to add bulk, the make is lighter, more flexible and visually slimmer — the shoe bends where the foot bends. The single stitch line runs inside, so it is the less water-resistant of the two sewn makes. In the trade's ladder, Blake sits in the middle: more work than cementing, less material and time than a welt.

Cemented construction bonds the outsole to the lasted upper with adhesive. It is the most economical method, the fastest to schedule, and the mainstream make for fashion and casual programs. Done properly — correct adhesive, correct activation, correct press time — it is serviceable for the life the shoe is sold for; it is not built to be resoled.