What is a Welt?

A key component of any shoe starts with a solid welt. A welt is sewn at the edge of the surface of the lasted shoe and its technical purpose is to bond the upper and the insole while at the same time, providing a flat band around the shoe for the sole to be stitched on. The upper, insole and welt are stitched together with one seam.

There are two primary ways to do this – Blake Stitching and Goodyear Welt

What is Blake Stitching?

The Blake Stitch is the more recent innovation between the two processes, it was created during the Industrial Revolution and greatly simplified the welting process while retaining the structural consistency of the earlier Goodyear welt. Blake stitching, which is known for being a simpler process, due to a single stitch attaches everything together. Shoes constructed with the Blake stitching technique require the upper component of the shoe to be stretched around the insole, and then a single stitch to bind the outsole, insole, and upper together. Because it is stitched within the inside of the shoe, Blake stitch requires a specialized machine to stitch the sole to the upper.