Shoe making has been an important handicraft for hundreds of years. It started when humans thought it necessary to protect their feet from inhospitable surfaces. Shoes have gone a long way; they are no longer just made for protection but also for fashion.

Shoemakers or cobblers now produce a dizzying variety of shoes, including sandals, boots, clogs, and rubber shoes to go well with the needs, comfort, and taste of every individual. Before a shoemaker or a cobbler can start with the actual process of making shoes, he should first have the right materials. These are usually some combination of leather, rubber, wood, plastic, canvas, fabric, foams, metal, and other materials.

The craft of shoe making is a complicated process. It requires a lot of creativity, accurate engineering and effort to produce beautiful and durable shoes. The basic steps of making a shoe are:

Forming the last: This is arguably the most important part of the shoe making process. The last is usually made of wood or plastic, and is the form over which the shoes are molded. It determines the fit and feel of the shoes as well as their performance. The last is involved in both the beginning and end process of constructing shoes.

Pattern Cutting: Pattern cutting is where specific parts are produced. These parts generally consist of the sole, the bottom part of the shoe; insole the internal part of the shoe that is placed directly under the foot; outsole, the layer that directly touches the ground; heel, the bottom back part that can be high or low; and upper, the part that holds the shoe on the foot.

Closing: This is the method of uniting all the aesthetic coverings of the shoe. The uppers are pierced, punched, wedged, ridged, and then placed with lining and sewn together.

Lasting: This is the process of stretching the upper over the last. A certain amount of force is applied to stretch the upper on to the different points of the last to acquire its shape.

Attaching: Is the part of the process that involves putting the upper and the sole together.

Finishing: Finishing involves the final cutting, trimming, cleaning, and polishing of the shoes. If the shoes are made for a certain business, the shoes are tagged and boxed for distribution after the manufacturing process.

Shoes are made in varying sizes. The units of measurement for shoe sizes differ across countries. The most commonly used systems are those of France, North America (USA and Canada), and the United Kingdom.