Can I Make my own shoes (non-leather) ?

[Unionville]

I wondered if anyone here has made their own shoes from recycled materials?  I don't want to use leather or buy a bunch of tools.  I've seen some articles about cloth shoes you can make and they look pretty good.  I'm so tired of buying things that just fall apart, I thought of making my own. Here are some examples of the kinds of things  I'd like to try but there isn't any how-to books on non-leather shoemaking.  I was thinking I could recycle an old yoga mat for the soles?

[sokoloff]

I'm not crafty in this dimension, but I will observe that cheap shoes fall apart very quickly. Mid and high-mid grade shoes do not.

So, if the intent is to save money, you are probably better served at looking at more expensive shoes rather than cheap shoes. Related, I fear that anything that you make is likely to have a learning curve of what threads work and what threads rot in service, what materials work for soles and what don't, etc. There's nothing wrong with that, but I wouldn't expect long-lasting DIY shoes on your first shot.

[stashgrower]

This lady wrote a book on shoe making that includes non-leather fabrics.

https://www.marywalesloomis.com

[Poundwise]

Would something like these links help?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWEFGq4x7Mc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3-gwKiYWIQ

It's a very interesting idea.  If I were trying to save money, though, I'd probably just buy used or ask on Freecycle.  You might also have more luck learning how to repair and resole shoes.

[Metric Mouse]

Those tweed ones in the middle are cute!

[Greenback Reproduction Specialist]

Leather is very mustachian, stylish and last forver ; )




Lol JK, not everyone's style : )

[Metric Mouse]

Link, is that you? Zelda said she loves your boots.

[Greenback Reproduction Specialist]

I have no idea who link is, and not my boots either, sorry :\... But I agree, the boots are awesome : )

But, my friend, his daughter has a pair that look similar to that. They were made by her grandma about 50 years ago and they seem to have just got better with age. Its unbelievable how strong and long lasting leather really is. Cost a little more up front, but in terms of quality and how long they will last... You cant beat it.

[laloeb]

Those examples you posted reminded me of espadrilles, a type of rope-soled shoe usually with a canvas upper. I just read For Whom The Bell Tolls, and Hemingway mentions them throughout the book. So much so that I've thought it'd be cool to buy or make a pair, however, I haven't gotten that far with the idea. There looks to be some good resources for making them yourself like this YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OtXdAQ7gcI. Dritz sewing supplier seems to have a lot of the necessary and maybe not so necessary supplies to jump start the process. https://www.amazon.com/Dritz-Espadrilles-Adult-Soles-Pattern/dp/B015OIME0Q

Good luck with the DIY!

[Dicey]

I have no idea who link is, and not my boots either, sorry :\... But I agree, the boots are awesome : )

Legend of Zelda? I have no idea what that is either, but that's what google thinks.

[Metric Mouse]

Yes; he wears those boots.

[Greenback Reproduction Specialist]

Lol ok thanks for clearing that up... It was bugging me : )

[The Drawing Bird]

I'm so tired of buying things that just fall apart, I thought of making my own.

Meteor, did you end up making/buying a pair of shoes?  If you're still thinking about it, it's quite possible to make your own.  It depends on how much sewing experience you have, though.

If you're relatively new to sewing (like me), it would be a fun project, but the final product probably won't last any longer than the mid-level quality shoes you'd buy at a store.  I just happened to make my first pair of cloth shoes last week from these instructions, and I'm happy with the result.  The instructions were confusing (to me, at least) at times... feel free to ask if you have any questions.

As you can see, they're not the most refined product.  If you're up for the challenge (or already have great sewing skills), go for it.  It's rewarding.  If you're still new to sewing and you just want a long-lasting product, this might not be for you. Let us know what you end up doing!