Piles of leather are graded, from conker brown, caramel and tan to blues and greens
“I love making something that is both beautiful and functional”
how to make a pair of shoes from start to finish. The process begins with selecting the leather (Green Shoes are made from high-quality surplus leather commissioned by larger brands but not used, thus making good use of otherwise redundant material) and cutting out the pattern pieces from the hide using an ultrasharp ‘clicking’ knife, then gluing in a lining of soft pigskin. Skiving in shoemaking terminology doesn’t involve sneaking a long lunchbreak, but carefully shaving away the edges of the leather to ensure a smooth seam that won’t rub the wearer’s foot. “The most satisfying thing is when all the 3D elements come together,” Polly says. The sole is attached using a chunky, heavy-duty sewing machine, then the shoes are steamed on a last to achieve their final shape.
Like Polly, Sarah Spicer’s first experience of shoemaking was at a Green Shoes workshop. She moved from Yorkshire to join the company as an apprentice in 2012 and her current Saturday-only working hours fit around her two-year-old son. Today, Sarah is working on bootees for toddlers, made in soft grey suede, with orange leather stars, and destined for the shop upstairs. Around half of the Green Shoes output goes to personal visitors, and the rest goes by mail order or online – the company’s website shows how to draw and measure your feet. When Sarah joined Green Shoes, she fulfilled a long-held ambition. “I had always wanted to live more rurally while learning a useful skill,” she recalls. “Now I love making something that is both beautiful and functional for a specific person. When you make shoes, you recognise them when they come back for repair – and are thrilled to give them a new lease of life.”
There was never any specific policy to have an all-female team, it just happened, says Alison, who estimates she has employed around 45 women over the years – currently three full-time and two part-timers: “There was a time when women’s businesses were rather under the radar, with a feeling that we couldn’t do practical stuff, but we can be loud and proud now.” A recent round of interviews for their latest apprentice has left Alison optimistic about the future: “When Green Shoes started out, there was barely a glint of interest, but this time I was seeing highly qualified young women with practical skills, very up on social media – and living locally.” She hopes some of them will take over when she eventually steps aside, but hopefully that won’t be for a good few years yet…
Green Shoes (01647 440735, greenshoes.co.uk).