Sharon Raymond I purchased the Trippen Book several years ago, which gives an overview of Trippen (an imaginative and innovative German shoe company) styles and its shoemaking process. If I need some design inspiration, that’s the book I’ll pick up – along with Aki Choklat’s Footwear Design. Trippen’s designers have more ideas on how to tie, fold, cut, and manipulate leather to make shoes than any other team I know of.
Trippen recently sent out a mailing, inviting customers to look at their new online catalog: https://www.trippen.com/en/News_HW1314_en.pdf
When reading the catalog, I came across this information:
The sole is sewn to the upper, not glued. This mechanical fastening provides for an almost complete avoidance of solvent-based adhesive in the attachment of the sole and allows worn soles to be removed and replaced.
Since I stitch on soles to avoid using these adhesives – although, as a “sole” proprietor, my soles are much simpler (and my shoes can easily be re-soled and the oldsole recycled)- I was delighted to read that their efforts and mine are heading in the same direction – away! – from those adhesives that are toxic to the individual as well as to our shared environment.
