Craftsmanship
Each pair of Goral shoes are made using traditional handcrafting methods in a lengthy process that takes more than 200 steps to complete.
With a combined total of over 100 years experience in shoemaking, our Master Craftsmen have perfected their approach, resulting in high-quality footwear time after time.
Pattern Cutting
In the first stage of the process, the design is drawn on to a custom last (a heavy block in the shape of a human foot) the design is then broken down into its individual components and used to create a flat pattern to be overlaid onto the leather as a cutting guide.
Clicking
A ‘clicker’ uses the flat patterns from the previous stage to create each individual piece needed to make the ‘upper’ of the shoe. A sharp eye and a steady hand are needed in this stage to ensure a smooth clean cut.
Closing
The individual pieces of leather are then trimmed in a process called ‘skiving’ and assembled in the ‘closing room’ by our highly skilled machinists. Each style of shoe requires a unique approach with some of the more complex varieties being made from over 40 pieces. Once the upper is complete the shoes are then ready to be lasted.
Lasting
The lasting stage is where the leather upper is shaped and sealed to the sole of the shoe. The last used in the pattern cutting process is reinserted into the shoe and used to create the desired shape by carefully stretching the leather around its base. The shaped upper is then attached to the sole of the shoe with a glueing and stitching process.
Shoe Room
In the final stage, the shoes are checked and signed off by our quality control specialists to make sure they meet our high standards. They are then cleaned and polished to make sure they are in pristine condition, laced up and carefully placed inside packaging ready to be dispatched from the factory.