William loafers

The Lining is the material used on the inside of the shoes which rests against the foot during wear.

Full Leather lining
This is regarded as the best finish to have, the complete interior of the shoe is lined with leather which gives comfort & absorbs the moisture given off from the foot during wear.

1/2 Leather lining
The fore part of the shoe has a cotton or linen lining & from the waist of the shoe back to the heel is leather.

The Lining is the material used on the inside of the shoes which rests against the foot during wear.

Full Leather lining
This is regarded as the best finish to have, the complete interior of the shoe is lined with leather which gives comfort & absorbs the moisture given off from the foot during wear.

1/2 Leather lining
The fore part of the shoe has a cotton or linen lining & from the waist of the shoe back to the heel is leather.

Goodyear welted leather sole
This is what Northampton manufactures are traditionally known for. The sole is stitched to a welt which means the shoe gives great comfort & excellent shape retention.
Welted Rubber soles
This is similar to the “Goodyear welted Leather sole” construction except the sole material is Rubber giving harder wear & better water resistant properties.
Leather Sole Rubber Fore Part
This gives all the benefits of a leather sole but the added flexibility & durability of a rubber fore part.
Cemented Leather Sole
A construction using specialised adhesives in place of stitched welts to bond the upper to the sole. This gives lightness in weight & appearance that the welted construction cannot.
Moccasin Construction
This provides a very light flexible & comfortable shoe. A bag of Leather is formed by Hand stitching an apron & the sole is then stitched or glued to the upper.

The LAST is the foot shape that the shoe uppers are pulled over & secured on during manufacturing to obtain the shape. The lasts are given numbers or names to denote their individual characteristics such as toe shape & depth etc. Traditional Lasts are made from wood but now more commonly plastic ones are used these days.

What does origin mean?

The products on this website are made in various countries. The origin will tell you where the shoes were made.

Why is it important?

Where a shoe is made will tell you a lot about the quality and price you should expect to pay

UK

The best craftsmanship and quality welted shoes you can buy, for example Herring Premier, Church's, Cheaney come from the UK

Italy

The best place to get handmade moccasins made for Herring shoes

Portugal

Superb craftsmanship and quality at a very keen price, for example Herring Casual

EC

Superb craftsmanship and quality from anywhere in the European Community, for example some Loake shoes

Imported

Superb value range shoes usually made in India, for example some Loake shoes (L1) and some Herring Casual