What is a cork filling?
In a pair of Goodyear welted shoes, a so-called strip in canvas is added on the insole and to which the welt is sewn. This strip forms a cavity between the insole and the outsole, which is filled with cork by hand for each shoe. Cork is a natural material that has been used for decades. It consists of a mixture of shredded cork and glue. It’s relatively porous and can be formed during heat. It’s spread out in the cavity on the insole using a hot spreading knife. This process requires experience and a steady hand. The shoes are then left to dry thoroughly for the cork to stiffen up before the manufacturing process continues.
The artisans spread the cork filling by hand with a hot knife for each unique pair of shoes.
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The advantages of cork filling
Our Goodyear welted shoes are made with cork filling for the simple reason that it’s unbeatable for superior comfort and allows the shoes to breathe. The benefit with cork is that it will form to the wearer’s foot from the warmth and weight when wearing the shoes creating a unique fitted footbed over time. The shoe will get more comfortable the more the shoe is worn. Using cork also adds thermal insulation to prevent excess heat loss to the foot.
