Not to be confused with the largest tire company in American history, the Goodyear welt is a shoemaking technique that has been used by top footwear manufacturers for over a century. There’s no replacing a Goodyear welt, despite high production costs, which is why Thursday uses this technique on most of its shoes and boots.

The welting process involves stitching the boot’s upper section to the sole, using a leather strip called a “welt.” The welt joins these two sections along the sole’s perimeter, and the visible stitching left behind is the tell-tale sign of a Goodyear welt.

It is easiest to understand the Goodyear welt’s nuances by first becoming familiar with the other two most common footwear construction methods: cementing and Blake stitching.

1

Cementing

The most common way to manufacture footwear is through a process called, “cementing.” Instead of sewing the upper section of shoes and boots to the sole, manufacturers use glue. Because the process is quick and efficient, cementing is the most common way to manufacture footwear.

Although cementing is the preferred construction method by companies manufacturing sneakers, because it’s cheap and the end product is lightweight, many companies specializing in leather shoes and boots also utilize this method because of its affordability. Unfortunately, cemented boots are usually limited by how long you can wear them until the sole wears down. Once this happens, resoling isn’t a viable option for cemented footwear, and it must be thrown out.

2

The Blake Stitch

The “Blake stitch” is a technique more closely related to the Goodyear welt than cementing because it involves sewing. It is often utilized by manufacturers who want to avoid cementing, but don’t want to invest the machinery and manpower into Goodyear welting. It is, however, a viable alternative to Goodyear welting when a shoe must be light.

The leather upper is sewn to the sole instead of glued, but the stitches are made inside of the boot, directly underneath the foot bed. These shoes are technically resoleable, but not as easy to repair as a Goodyear welted shoe. They also aren’t waterproof, limiting their use to warmer months when the weather is dry.

3

The Goodyear Welt

The Goodyear welting process involves two sets of stitches that ensure both easy resoleability and virtually waterproof constructions. The upper is stitched to a leather welt and the outside of the welt is stitched to the outsole, creating an additional barrier to water and making it easy to replace a worn outsole, when the time comes. The final product is a boot with exquisite detailing and wear-it-for-life bonafides.

With proper care, the Goodyear welt allows for a lifetime of comfort and durability. While there will always be a place in the world for cement and Blake-stitched shoes, it’s hard not to appreciate the benefits that come from building the highest quality footwear at an honest price.