Footwear Manufacturing I Teaching Manual

Leather is flexible yet durable, as sturdy as it is supple. It's elastic, so it can be stretched yet it resists tearing and abrasion. It's a breathable material, and it insulates heat, helping to regulate temperature. This all makes leather shoes conform to the feet of the wearer like no other shoe material can. It's no surprise, then, that leather is one of the most common materials that shoemakers use, particularly in making men's dress shoes.Drawbacks to leather shoes include: - leather is expensive compared to other shoe materials- leather is heavy- leather can get very hot- leather untreated can be vulnerable to water damageBecause leather comes from animal hide, leather shoes can also bear slight imperfections.