tomdaley♥: My experience to Florida Shoe Factory.

Tell me something about the experience.

Today I visited Florida Shoe Factory in Norwich, although I enjoyed all of the trip there was one certain part of the trip that stuck out the most for me which was when we explored all the machinery in the factory part of the building, because it was really isnteresting and I learnt alot about shoe making.

Here are some interesting facts I learnt;

The shoe boxes are made me prisoners in Norwich Prison.
The company opened in the early 1900's.
90% of the shoes are made in India and China.
The shoe's are always designed to be a size 4 and a half.
A clicker is a knife which is used to cut materials such as leather.
A bottom ruffer is the tool which designs the bottom of the shoe so it won't be to smooth that when you wear the shoes, you have the possibility of slipping over.
A pantone book is like a booklet full of universal colours that looks a bit like this;

Tell me abit about the process of making shoes.
When we got back from the trip, we wrote out a step by step guide on how they make there shoes using the notes we took down while having our tour.
1. Look at the magazines they get given showing the upcoming trends called Insight and choose which colours to use using the pantone book which is the universal colours.
2. Make theme boards, which are just like our mood boards, they show the colours and designs they will use on the shoes.
3. Start sketching the shoe on paper.
4. Use plastic vacs which are like a mannequin but for a shoe, they are basiclly the shape of the shoe and you work around that. They always use a size 4 1/2, even only for the models.
5. Use what they call a computer aided device to transfer the paper design onto the computer. They then have a device like a mouse for a computer and edit the design on the computer instead of on paper, which makes it easier for undoing mistakes and changing things.
6. Take it to the cutting table, which is a big machine that has a pen, knife to cut paper and a knife to cut plastic on it, it cuts out your designs for you.
7. The men then use a clicker to cut out different parts of materials for the shoe.
8. Ladies on the sewing machines will stitch parts of the shoe together.
9. Use heat to form the heel of the shoe.
10. Glue the sole onto the shoe.
11. Use nails to attatch the heal to the shoe.
12. Use what they call a bottom ruffer to make sure the bottom of the shoe isn't completely smooth, to prevent anybody slipping over in the shoes.
13. Boxes are imported to Noriwch Prison and are made by the prisoners.

Insight magazine for winter

How has the visit affected the way you may make your own shoe.
The trip to Florida Shoe's has given me some idea's on how i should make and design my shoe, for example, I will definately make sure my sketch is clear so it's simpler to go by. I will also use my mood board from looking at their theme boards, it really does help. The materials shown today have helped me with deciding what materials I will use on my shoe, e.g, all the different types of leather and the snake and lizard skin. The man showing us the materials also showed us what ones look best together, so that has helped my on deciding which ones I may use together and where.

Here are some pictures I took while I was there;