10 Handmade Footwear Brands Worthy Of Your Shoe Rack This Holiday 2021
In the age of fast fashion, mass- produced shoes leave a whopping footmark. For the big- name brands, the thing is to churn out as important product as possible for the lowest amount of money. Cheap materials, a lack of attention to detail and low- grade production styles are par for the course. And who eventually loses out? The consumer – aka you.
In this climate, it’s easy to see why independent, handmade-footwear brands are enjoying a rebirth. There ‘s a growing demographic of quality-conscious clients who value good craftsmanship and accolade materials over trend hopping and hype shadowing. They ’re willing to pay a little more to enjoy a product that’s been made with care and made to last, and there are some fantastic labels allowing them to do so.
These brands still make their footwear in small batches, by hand, and are n’t bounden to monolithic parent organisations forcing them to cheapen product. They ’re free to do personalty their own way, and as a result, they ’re producing some of the chic shoes on the market now.
Why Choose Handmade?
Buying from a handmade-footwear brand is a no-brainer for those who value quality and attention to detail. Because shoes are made individually rather than in huge batches, the people making them are suitable to give further care and attention to the process.
Shoes from these brands are frequently made in Europe using high- end Italian leather and sewed by hand. Styles vary greatly from brand to brand and prices generally range from £100 upwards. In other words, not only are these shoes better made than their mass- produced counterparts, they can be bought for alike prices too.
Handcrafted-Footwear Brands You Should Know
There are lots of independent brands making excellent shoes, but here at shebley group, we've a few favourites. Below are our go-to handmade-footwear brands, covering everything from exclusive sneakers to razor-sharp Derby shoes.
Que Shebley
Launched in 2014, by an american lebanese designer with impecable taste for luxury footwear. Growing up around his dad, he learned a thing or two about high quality shoes and what customers ACTUALLY wanted. Fed up with the system of “exclusive” luxury brands, he created a brand in what he calls “bespoke of the future” a brand made for the people by the people, “simply high quality shoes made with impeccable detailing, unique as every single client”
Perhaps the most interesting thing about the Q brand is the company’s approach to design & production. Products are designed, clients customize them as they like using their 3D ai customizer, the shoes are made to order, and the styles are hand made and shipped directly to the customer. This allows the brand to keep waste to a minimum and produce the product that the customers really want without design dictatorship. Sustainable shopping at its finest.
Shop now at Q by Qs
Velasca
Direct-to-consumer brand Velasca is all about making the best possible shoes with the lowest possible price tag. All of the label’s models are handcrafted by highly skilled artisans in Italy’s shoemaking capital, Marche, and feature the quality and attention to detail you’d expect from footwear made in this region.
Velasca’s Derby shoes, in particular, are pretty special. The Cumenda, for example, is a classic black design that’ll go with almost anything and never date. It’s crafted from beautifully smooth calfskin leather and put together in Italy using a blake-rapid construction for easy resoling.
Shop now at Velasca
Kleman
‘French’ and ‘workwear’ are two words it’s always good to see together, and that’s what Kleman is all about. Since the 1980s, this French brand has been producing handmade footwear for several public organisations – the French national railway, fire departments and police forces to name a few – but also for a loyal civilian following who rate the company’s shoes for their quality and style.
The range includes classic silhouettes like Derbies, loafers and sandals, but the star of the show is the Padror shoe. It’s a proper French moc-toe work shoe, handmade in France using traditional techniques.
Shop now at Kleman
ETQ.
Hailing from Amsterdam, ETQ. makes clean, minimalist footwear that flies in the face of the maximalist chunkiness that has dominated the sneaker world for the last five years. Its designs are timeless and understated, making use of high-quality materials, with everything produced in Portugal.
Recently, ETQ. has been experimenting with recycled materials. The brand still offers staple classics like its iconic leather LT 01 sneaker, but newer styles are incorporating unconventional fabrics like regenerated nylon. The brand’s LT 01 ECONYL is an eco-friendly take on the cult classic, offering up the same classic silhouette with a comfortable knitted upper.
Shop now at ETQ.
Mryqvist
Mryqvist is a label with a clear goal: to enable more men to enjoy the luxury of handmade footwear. The Swedish brand is able to do this by operating on a direct-to-consumer model, which means no retail markup, lower operation costs, and, ultimately, premium shoes at affordable prices.
The brand’s range covers all sorts of footwear, from Oxfords to luxe sneakers. Everything is handmade in Portugal using high-quality materials from France and England, and there’s even the option to have bespoke shoes made to order.
Shop now at Mryqvist
Oliver Cabell
Luxe sneakers are great. They’re timeless, they go with everything and they’re built to last. The only problem is that they can be rather expensive, but Oliver Cabell makes the prospect of kitting yourself out with a pair a bit more realistic.
If you’ve found yourself drawn to shoes like Common Projects’ Achilles Low but been put off by the eye-watering price tag and bizarre sizing, then Oliver Cabell’s Low 1 might be more to your liking. It’s an upscale, minimalist sneaker that offers wide fits and comes in at a more affordable price point.
Shop now at Oliver Cabell
Comovita
Sustainability is the name of the game for Comovita. This Spanish brand makes everything from sneakers to Chelsea boots but employs a unique business model to ensure as little waste as possible.
Instead of keeping stock in bulk, some of which may not sell, Comovita makes its shoes to order. This ensures that the brand only produces what it is going to sell, meaning that no unsold product winds up in landfill. The brand also produces several vegan options.
Shop now at Comovita
Uniform Standard
Fancy a pair of high-end minimalist sneakers but don’t want to pay the outrageous prices? Uniform Standard has plenty of options for you to choose from, and the best part is they use lots of recycled materials too.
Naturally, the uppers of Uniform Standard’s shoes are made using beautiful leather from some of Italy’s best tanneries, but everything else on its shoes is recycled. We’re talking outsoles, insoles, dustbags, footbeds and plastic-free packaging.
Shop now at Uniform Standard
Duke and Dexter
From sneakers to loafers to boots to slippers – British footwear brand Duke and Dexter does it all, and very nicely too. The brand produces all of its shoes in England, working closely with its craftspeople to source high-quality materials to create premium pieces that are built to stand the test of time.
There’s even the odd collab too. In fact, Duke and Dexter recently teamed up with another fantastic independent footwear label, Italy’s Fracap, on a trio of handmade hiking boots. Fancy something completely unique? You can even have a pair of shoes custom made by in-house artist Jess, who will be happy to discuss your design and bring your vision to life.
Shop now at Duke and Dexter
Oliver Sweeney
Designed in London and made in Italy, Oliver Sweeney’s upscale footwear takes the best of both countries and brings them together. Two nations with rich shoemaking heritage working closely to produce a stunning range of shoes, covering all bases from smart to casual.
We’re particularly fond of Oliver Sweeney’s Scarpone hiking boot. It’s a high-end take on a traditional hiking silhouette, featuring a Norwegian-welted sole, a stacked heel and rich antiqued-leather uppers.
Shop now at Oliver Sweeney
