Visit to our sneakers factory in Portugal

When we at Skolyx were developing our range of premium sneakers, trainers and runners, we needed to find a factory that was flexible and willing to put a bit extra work into each shoe. We found exactly what we were looking for in a village outside Porto, Portugal, where Pedro and João, father and son, run a small factory. Join us for a visit and learn more about how the sneakers are made and what makes them different from most other on the market, all in text, pictures and a video at the bottom.

For natural reasons, production of one type of product is often concentrated in one geographical area. This is partly because knowledge is passed on to people here, and partly because practical infrastructure such as suppliers of parts, servicing of machines and so on becomes concentrated. Famous shoe manufacturing areas in Europe include Northampton in England, Marche in Italy and Almansa and Mallorca in Spain - as well as the Porto district in northern Portugal. It is still home to several hundred small and large shoe manufacturers of all types of footwear, and the knowledge of shoemaking is enormous.


The Porto district in northern Portugal is a shoemaking hotspot.


The small factory employs about 20 persons.

In a neighbourhood with a mix of villas, apartment buildings and smaller factory buildings on the edge of a small village we find the factory, which looks a bit like a sugar cube with a rectangular shape and light gray color. Here, the banging of hammers and the rattle of sewing machines is embedded in the constant humming and buzzing of various small and large machines. Shoes are lined up everywhere at various stages of the manufacturing process. Here, Pedro and his father João lead a workforce of about 20 persons. The fact that it's a relatively small factory is part of what makes our collaboration work so well, as they can be flexible and easily solve things in a good way.


The lasts on which the shoes are built.


High-quality material is the backbone of all good shoes.


We use chrome-free smooth calf leather, fine calf suede and vegetable-tanned lining from Italy.


The parts for the shoes are punched out.


It may look easy, but making use of the material without compromising on quality requires skill.



Because what we were looking for was something that very few sneaker manufacturers do, which meant that the factory had to source materials that they don't usually use, and also had to solve certain construction details in a new way. For example, we wanted to use heel stiffeners in leather board that mold well to the foot, instead of plastic stiffeners that are standard on this type of shoe. This meant that the factory had to change the way they made their heel stiffeners, as leather board and plastic have different properties.

A common problem with sneakers and trainers is that the so-called lasting board, a kind of midsole around which the shoe is built before the outsole is attached, is almost always made of paperboard. It's not visible under the removable insole so it's a thing most on, but the problem is that sweat and other moisture dissolves the lasting board so it more or less crumbles in the end. Even on really expensive sneakers that have nice leather uppers, one almost always take this shortcut, and this is the part of the shoes that often breaks first and is very difficult to repair. Replacing the cardboard with leather costs a bit extra in production, but in turn gives a much longer life to the shoes. The factory didn't have leather lasting boards, but being located in Portugal's shoe center, we were able to source them to use in our shoes.


Sewing of the uppers.


As with most of the production of better shoes, some parts are done by hand, some by machine.


Here the heel stiffeners in leather board are prepared.


Finished uppers.

Similarly, they can work flexibly and efficiently on other parts of the shoes. The thick removable insoles we were looking for weren't available, but we didn't want to miss out on the added comfort they provide despite the higher cost, and they could be made by a factory in a nearby community. And the outsoles are also made in the area, in a larger factory that has made great strides in reusing waste materials and using energy efficiently, such as solar panels and reusing waste heat.

In several places in the small sneaker factory, there are boxes of materials labeled Skolyx, as these are things that none of their other customers use. Pedro says that he has enjoyed working with us because we go into such detail about the shoes and leave nothing to chance. This has meant that they have also developed, and make certain parts for other customers in a better way today than before. This has been the case with the other shoe factories we work with as well, we are there and push them on details that we know with our deep shoe knowledge make a difference in the long run, even if it may not even be visible.


Before the uppers are lasted, the heel stiffeners are preformed.




Then the uppers are lasted. The toe section and heel section are lasted by machine.


The waist is lasted by hand.


On the lasts.

At the far end of the factory we find the leather storage. Here, rolls of hides are lined up along the wall. The material we use for our sneakers is chrome-free calf leather, fine calf suede and vegetable-tanned lining leather from Italy that is kind to the foot and breathes well. The first step in the manufacturing process is to cut the parts for the upper and lining leather from the hides, this is done by placing molds on the hides and using a press to punch them out, a bit like making gingerbread.

A number of skilled seamstresses then sew the parts together, first the upper and lining leather separately, then together, with, for example, reinforcements at the lace holes and padding at the opening and placket. The toe and heel have stiffeners put in place and the upper leather is pulled over the last (the form on which the shoe is built) and pinned to the leather midsole. Under the midsole we also have a metal shank, which provides stability to the arch and reduces the risk of foot fatigue. All of these are internal parts that are not visible from the outside, but that have a huge impact on durability and comfort, and if you are looking to make really good shoes, these parts are at least as important, but unfortunately something that most people thumb their noses at.


You roughen the surface to be glued, or sewn and glued, to make it adhere better.


Cup soles.


All shoes that are sewn are also glued for extra durability, there is no shoe construction that is only based on stitching.


Here the last has been pulled out, and you sew with a sidewall stitcher.



At this stage, you basically have a finished shoe that is fully assembled and you can remove the last, only the sole is missing. For trainers, runners and GAT sneakers, the outsole is glued in place, for the sneakers with so-called cup soles, you use less glue at the lower outer side of the shoe, and then you sew the upper to the sole. This is done with a sidewall stitch machine, which can easily access the front of the toe. A construction method that allows a cobbler with the right equipment to resole the shoes.

Now all that remains is to spray suede shoes with waterproofing spray, treat leather shoes with cream, put in our thick cushioning removable insoles and lace them up. That's just the major steps in the manufacturing process, with lots of small steps and processes added along the way. Actually, we would like to describe everything, as many of the small parts also play a role, but the risk is that it might get a bit boring.


The extra thick removable insoles we use get our logo.


Waterproofing of suede.


The smooth leather gets cream and other treatments.




Lacing station.

What you should keep in mind here is the sum of all the parts that we have described - and not described. The solid feel on the foot. We prefer to spend an extra 20-30% in production costs even on things that are not visible, but that really make a difference. The quality of construction and choice of materials is something most people experience immediately when they put their foot in for the first time. And that quality also means that our sneakers have the potential to last a very long time.

Don't miss the film from our sneaker factory below.

Here you will find all our premium sneakers, trainers and runners.


Before the shoes are packed in boxes, they are given a final check.


Packed and ready.


Sneakers, trainers and runners that will soon be adorning someone's feet.

Film showcasing the making of our sneakers