It's All About the Leather - Edward Green Shoes - The Manufacture

Edward Green 1890

Edward Green is a classic English shoemaker that was established in 1890. They have a shop in Jermyn Street, London, and the shoes are manufactured in the shoemaking capital of the world - Northampton. They have a line of ready-to-wear shoes, but also make bespoke.

What makes their shoes so special? It's all about the leather they say. Edward Green uses natural burnishing calfskin for their leathers. The leather isn't completely finished in the tannery, but dyed with a base that preserves the clarity of the grain and allows Edward Green to work their magic in the final stages of construction.

As the character of the leather is fully open, it requires expert cutting (or 'clicking') before the final finish of polishing and burnishing the completed shoe. This very manually-intensive work creates a shoe leather with unmatched depth and character that improves with age.

The Best Leather for Shoes?

Edward Green uses calfskins from the best Italian tanneries. The leathers match the requirement of the shoe, such as:

• Natural Burnishing Calf Leather where the final colour is created through the layering of the original tannery dye and the burnishing, antiquing and polishing on the finished shoe. which gives a very particular character and depth, as used in the city shoes.
  
  Example: The Oakdale Slate above.

• Country Calf Leather with a heavier construction and sole that can take the knocks is used on their robust country shoes.
  
  Example: The Galway in Rosewood country calf below.

What's a 'Notched' or 'Fudge' Welt?

A welt is the band of leather which runs around the base of the upper to connect the upper to the sole. A storm welt has a raised protrusion which helps keep the elements from seeping in between the upper and sole. Sometimes they have small notches on them which move any water back down off the welt and gives a different look.

The Windermere with notched welt:

More to Come

Tweedy's Note: the Edward Green people are very knowledgeable about their craft and, most importantly, seem willing to speak to us. They've been very helpful. I'll get young Mrs Tweed to find out some more on the company for us. 

By tomorrow please Mrs TP. No pressure.