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64-675: Today HUMANIC is trading in shoes and accessories and appears on the market in eleven European countries. Since March 2009 Austrian and German customers can also shop online. The brand HUMANIC and the company has been around since 1872. By acquiring the majority interest of the Hungarian commercial company SZIVÁRVÁNY Rt. with its headquarters in Budapest , HUMANIC started the internationalisation. Finally, HUMANIC and its shoe stores managed to take over market leadership in Hungary . In 1992, HUMANIC entered

128-451: A museum . It still stands today and is a popular roadside attraction. Shoes also play an important role in the fairy tales Cinderella and The Red Shoes . In the movie adaption of the children's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz , a pair of red ruby slippers play a key role in the plot. The 1985 comedy The Man with One Red Shoe features an eccentric man wearing one normal business shoe and one red shoe that becomes central to

192-447: A Shoe . This story tells about an old woman living in a shoe with a lot of children. In 1948, Mahlon Haines , a shoe salesman in Hallam, Pennsylvania , built an actual house shaped like a work boot as a form of advertisement. The Haines Shoe House was rented to newlyweds and the elderly until his death in 1962. Since then, it has served as an ice cream parlor, a bed and breakfast , and

256-586: A fabric upper portion, and often includes fabric laces that tie around the ankle. The term is French and comes from the esparto grass. The shoe originated in the Catalonian region of Spain as early as the 13th century, and was commonly worn by peasants in the farming communities in the area. New styles began to develop during the Song dynasty in China, some of them resulting from the binding of women's feet, first used by

320-531: A person with authority or wealth was often referred to as, "well-heeled". In 17th century France, heels were exclusively worn by aristocrats. Louis XIV of France outlawed anybody from wearing red high heels except for himself and his royal court. Eventually the modern shoe, with a sewn-on sole, was devised. Since the 17th century, most leather shoes have used a sewn-on sole. This remains the standard for finer-quality dress shoes today. Until around 1800, welted rand shoes were commonly made without differentiation for

384-536: A sacred person or place. In the Book of Exodus , Moses was instructed to remove his shoes before approaching the burning bush: Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest [is] holy ground. The removal of the shoe also symbolizes the act of giving up a legal right. In Hebrew custom, if a man chose not to marry his childless brother's widow , the widow removed her brother-in-law's shoe to symbolize that he had abandoned his duty. In Arab custom,

448-565: A shoe is recognizable, regardless of the specific style of footwear. All shoes have a sole , which is the bottom of a shoe, in contact with the ground. Soles can be made from a variety of materials, although most modern shoes have soles made from natural rubber , polyurethane , or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) compounds. Soles can be simple—a single material in a single layer—or they can be complex, with multiple structures or layers and materials. When various layers are used, soles may consist of an insole, midsole, and an outsole. The insole

512-517: A soleless sandal known as a "Cleopatra", which did not provide any practical protection for the foot. The ancient Greeks largely viewed footwear as self-indulgent, unaesthetic and unnecessary. Shoes were primarily worn in the theater, as a means of increasing stature, and many preferred to go barefoot. Athletes in the Ancient Olympic Games participated barefoot—and naked. Even the gods and heroes were primarily depicted barefoot, as well as

576-513: A special purpose sport shoe into a general use shoe. Traditionally, shoes have been made from leather , wood or canvas , but are increasingly being made from rubber , plastics , and other petrochemical -derived materials. Globally, the shoe industry is a $ 200 billion a year industry. 90% of shoes end up in landfills, because the materials are hard to separate, recycle or otherwise reuse. The earliest known shoes are sagebrush bark sandals dating from approximately 7000 or 8000 BC, found in

640-441: A synthetic material like polyurethane. The outsole may comprise a single piece or may be an assembly of separate pieces, often of different materials. On some shoes, the heel of the sole has a rubber plate for durability and traction, while the front is leather for style. Specialized shoes will often have modifications on this design: athletic or so-called cleated shoes like soccer, rugby, baseball and golf shoes have spikes embedded in

704-406: A thin sole and simple strap and be sold for a low cost. High fashion shoes made by famous designers may be made of expensive materials, use complex construction and sell for large sums of money. Some shoes are designed for specific purposes, such as boots designed specifically for mountaineering or skiing , while others have more generalized usage such as sneakers which have transformed from

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768-503: A total length of 2,000 metres, of which only 450 metres can be accessed. Speleologists discovered tombs from the middle Paleolithic period, which show evidence of human occupation of the caves 35,000 years ago. According to the Carbon-14 dating method, finds from the Neolithic period have an age from 4,900 to 3,980 BC. In 2023 the redating of baskets and shoes suggested that the age of

832-499: A vast variety of materials. Ancient Egyptian sandals were made from papyrus and palm leaves. The Masai of Africa made them out of rawhide . In India they were made from wood. While thong sandals were commonly worn, many people in ancient times, such as the Egyptians , Hindus and Greeks , saw little need for footwear, and most of the time, preferred being barefoot. The Egyptians and Hindus made some use of ornamental footwear, such as

896-463: Is affected by the most elegant and precise machinery; while, as each operation is performed by one hand, so each shoe passes through twenty-five hands, who complete from the hide, as supplied by the currier, a hundred pairs of strong and well-finished shoes per day. All the details are performed by the ingenious application of the mechanic powers; and all the parts are characterised by precision, uniformity, and accuracy. As each man performs but one step in

960-501: Is also considered unmannerly to cross the legs and display the soles of one's shoes during conversation. This insult was demonstrated in Iraq, first when Saddam Hussein 's statue was toppled in 2003, Iraqis gathered around it and struck the statue with their shoes. In 2008, United States President George W. Bush had a shoe thrown at him by a journalist as a statement against the war in Iraq. More generally, shoe-throwing or shoeing, showing

1024-493: Is estimated that most mass-produced shoes require 1000 years to degrade in a landfill . In the late 2000s, some shoemakers picked up on the issue and began to produce shoes made entirely from degradable materials , such as the Nike Considered. In 2007, the global shoe industry had an overall market of $ 107.4 billion, in terms of revenue , and is expected to grow to $ 122.9 billion by the end of 2012. Shoe manufacturers in

1088-416: Is often added for comfort (to control the shape, moisture, or smell of the shoe) or health reasons (to help deal with differences in the natural shape of the foot or positioning of the foot during standing or walking). The outsole is the layer in direct contact with the ground. Dress shoes often have leather or resin rubber outsoles; casual or work-oriented shoes have outsoles made of natural rubber or

1152-422: Is stitched between it and the sole, known as a welt . Most uppers have a mechanism, such as laces, straps with buckles, zippers, elastic, velcro straps, buttons, or snaps, for tightening the upper on the foot. Uppers with laces usually have a tongue that helps seal the laced opening and protect the foot from abrasion by the laces. Uppers with laces also have eyelets or hooks to make it easier to tighten and loosen

1216-444: Is the interior bottom of a shoe, which sits directly beneath the foot under the footbed (also known as sock liner). The purpose of the insole is to attach to the lasting margin of the upper, which is wrapped around the last during the closing of the shoe during the lasting operation. Insoles are usually made of cellulosic paper board or synthetic non woven insole board. Many shoes have removable and replaceable footbeds. Extra cushioning

1280-411: Is to support the heel of the foot. They are often made of the same material as the sole of the shoe. This part can be high for fashion or to make the person look taller, or flat for more practical and comfortable use. On some shoes the inner forward point of the heel is chiselled off, a feature known as a "gentleman's corner". This piece of design is intended to alleviate the problem of the points catching

1344-554: The Air Jordan line of sneakers designed by Nike for Basketball star Michael Jordan . In the Bible 's Old Testament , the shoe is used to symbolize something that is worthless or of little value. In the New Testament , the act of removing one's shoes symbolizes servitude. Ancient Semitic-speaking peoples regarded the act of removing their shoes as a mark of reverence when approaching

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1408-708: The Czech Republic with the opening of a store in Brno . In 2000 the company moved on to Slovenia . Two years later HUMANIC opened its first store in Regensburg , Germany , and, in the same year, the first two stores in Bratislava , Slovakia . In 2005 HUMANIC entered the Polish market. By opening the first stores in spring 2008 Humanic entered the market in Romania and Switzerland . In 2009

1472-686: The Fort Rock Cave in the US state of Oregon in 1938. The world's oldest leather shoe , made from a single piece of cowhide laced with a leather cord along seams at the front and back, was found in the Areni-1 cave complex in Armenia in 2008 and is believed to date to 3500 BC. Ötzi the Iceman 's shoes, dating to 3300 BC, featured brown bearskin bases, deerskin side panels, and a bark-string net, which pulled tight around

1536-520: The People's Republic of China account for 63% of production, 40.5% of global exports and 55% of industry revenue. However, many manufacturers in Europe dominate the higher-priced, higher value-added end of the market. As an integral part of human culture and civilization, shoes have found their way into our culture, folklore, and art. A popular 18th-century nursery rhyme is There was an Old Woman Who Lived in

1600-568: The hoplite warriors. They fought battles in bare feet and Alexander the Great conquered his vast empire with barefoot armies. The runners of Ancient Greece had also been believed to have run barefoot. The Romans , who eventually conquered the Greeks and adopted many aspects of their culture, did not adopt the Greek perception of footwear and clothing. Roman clothing was seen as a sign of power, and footwear

1664-565: The sisal plant were used to make twine for sandals in South America while the natives of Mexico used the Yucca plant. As civilizations began to develop, thong sandals (precursors to the modern flip-flop ) were worn. This practice dates back to pictures of them in ancient Egyptian murals from 4000 BC. "Thebet" may have been the term used to describe these sandals in Egyptian times, possibly from

1728-455: The turnshoe method of construction, in which the upper was turned flesh side out, and was lasted onto the sole and joined to the edge by a seam. The shoe was then turned inside-out so that the grain was outside. Some shoes were developed with toggled flaps or drawstrings to tighten the leather around the foot for a better fit. Surviving medieval turnshoes often fit the foot closely, with the right and left shoe being mirror images. Around 1500,

1792-578: The American funeral wreath. For example, empty shoes placed outside of a Greek home would tell others that the family's son has died in battle. At an observation memorializing the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks , 3,000 pairs of empty shoes were used to recognize those killed. The Shoes on the Danube Bank is a memorial in Budapest , Hungary . Conceived by film director Can Togay , he created it on

1856-444: The bottom of trousers and was first observed in the 1930s. A heel is the projection at the back of a shoe which rests below the heel bone . The shoe heel is used to improve the balance of the shoe, increase the height of the wearer, alter posture or other decorative purposes. Sometimes raised, the high heel is common to a form of shoe often worn by women, but sometimes by men too. See also stiletto heel . The upper helps hold

1920-415: The century's end, the process had been almost completely mechanized, with production occurring in large factories. Despite the obvious economic gains of mass production , the factory system produced shoes without the individual differentiation that the traditional shoemaker was able to provide. In the 19th century Chinese feminists called for an end to foot binding, and a ban in 1902 was implemented. The ban

1984-615: The city Thebes . The Middle Kingdom is when the first of these thebets were found, but it is possible that it debuted in the Early Dynastic Period . One pair found in Europe was made of papyrus leaves and dated to be approximately 1,500 years old. They were also worn in Jerusalem during the first century of the Christian era. Thong sandals were worn by many civilizations and made from

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2048-575: The cost to lighten leather, shoes of a paler shade were a symbol of wealth in the upper class. Often, the soles would be carved with a message so it would imprint on the ground. Cobblers became a notable profession around this time, with Greek shoemakers becoming famed in the Roman empire. A common casual shoe in the Pyrenees during the Middle Ages was the espadrille . This is a sandal with braided jute soles and

2112-426: The design for a riveting machine in 1853. His machine used an iron plate to push iron rivets into the sole. The process greatly increased the speed and efficiency of production. He also introduced the use of steam-powered rolling-machines for hardening leather and cutting-machines, in the mid-1850s. The sewing machine was introduced in 1846, and provided an alternative method for the mechanization of shoemaking. By

2176-552: The east bank of the Danube River with sculptor Gyula Pauer to honor the Jews who were killed by fascist Arrow Cross militiamen in Budapest during World War II . They were ordered to take off their shoes and were shot at the edge of the water so that their bodies fell into the river and were carried away. The memorial represents their shoes left behind on the bank. The basic anatomy of

2240-582: The existence of such shoe is the finding of bone awls dating back to this period that could have made simple footwear. Another source of evidence is the study of the bones of the smaller toes (as opposed to the big toe), it was observed that their thickness decreased approximately 40,000 to 26,000 years ago. This led archaeologists to deduce the existence of common rather than an occasional wearing of shoes as this would lead to less bone growth, resulting in shorter, thinner toes. These earliest designs were very simple, often mere "foot bags" of leather to protect

2304-501: The feet from rocks, debris, and cold. Many early natives in North America wore a similar type of footwear, known as the moccasin . These are tight-fitting, soft-soled shoes typically made out of leather or bison hides. Many moccasins were also decorated with various beads and other adornments. Moccasins were not designed to be waterproof, and in wet weather and warm summer months, most Native Americans went barefoot . The leaves of

2368-571: The first Humanic store launches in Croatia . In April 2019, HUMANIC opened their 5th store in Bulgaria , which was in the city of Plovdiv . Their other stores are in Sofia , Varna and Burgas . In September 2021, the company introduced a new symbol for its brand. It is symbolized by five letters: FRANZ = Fashion, Revolution, Attitude, Number One, Zeitgeist (fashion, revolution, approach, number one, spirit of

2432-615: The foot. The Jotunheimen shoe was discovered in August 2006: archaeologists estimate that this leather shoe was made between 1800 and 1100 BC, making it the oldest article of clothing discovered in Scandinavia. Sandals and other plant fiber based tools were found in Cueva de los Murciélagos in Albuñol in southern Spain in 2023, dating to approximately 7500 to 4200 BC, making them what are believed to be

2496-494: The insignia and the higher up the boot went on the leg, the higher the rank of the soldier. There are references to shoes being worn in the Bible . In China and Japan, rice straws were used. Starting around 4 BC, the Greeks began wearing symbolic footwear. These were heavily decorated to clearly indicate the status of the wearer. Courtesans wore leather shoes colored with white, green, lemon or yellow dyes, and young woman betrothed or newly married wore pure white shoes. Because of

2560-533: The items was approximately 9,500 years old. The researchers reconstructed the lives of people whose artefacts were found preferentially at the cave entrance. Here they cooked their meals on an open firepit. Their diet consisted of the meat of wild and farm animals and various cereals. They used tools created of flint and bones, in order to cut leather. They manufactured red painted vessels, as well as necklaces and bracelets made of sea shells, which they probably acquired through trade with coastal residents. Apparently,

2624-521: The laces and to prevent the lace from tearing through the upper material. An aglet is the protective wrapping on the end of the lace. The vamp is the front part of the shoe, starting behind the toe, extending around the eyelets and tongue and towards back part of the shoe. Cueva de los Murci%C3%A9lagos The Cueva de los Murciélagos is a cave system in the Sierras Subbéticas  [ es ] located about 4 km southeast of

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2688-562: The late 1850s, the industry was beginning to shift towards the modern factory, mainly in the US and areas of England. A shoe-stitching machine was invented by the American Lyman Blake in 1856 and perfected by 1864. Entering into a partnership with McKay, his device became known as the McKay stitching machine and was quickly adopted by manufacturers throughout New England . As bottlenecks opened up in

2752-410: The left or right foot. Such shoes are now referred to as "straights". Only gradually did the modern foot-specific shoe become standard. Shoemaking became more commercialized in the mid-18th century, as it expanded as a cottage industry . Large warehouses began to stock footwear, made by many small manufacturers from the area. Until the 19th century, shoemaking was a traditional handicraft, but by

2816-501: The mass production of boots for the soldiers of the British Army . In 1812, he devised a scheme for making nailed-boot-making machinery that automatically fastened soles to uppers by means of metallic pins or nails. With the support of the Duke of York , the shoes were manufactured, and, due to their strength, cheapness, and durability, were introduced for the use of the army. In the same year,

2880-575: The mid-20th century, advances in rubber, plastics, synthetic cloth, and industrial adhesives have allowed manufacturers to create shoes that stray considerably from traditional crafting techniques. Leather, which had been the primary material in earlier styles, has remained standard in expensive dress shoes, but athletic shoes often have little or no real leather. Soles, which were once laboriously hand-stitched on, are now more often machine stitched or simply glued on. Many of these newer materials, such as rubber and plastics, have made shoes less biodegradable. It

2944-686: The noble Han classes, but soon spreading throughout Chinese society. The practice allegedly started during the Shang dynasty, but it grew popular by c.  AD 960 . When the Mongols conquered China, they dissolved the practice in 1279, and the Manchus banned foot binding in 1644. The Han people, however, continued the practice without much government intervention. In medieval times shoes could be up to two feet long, with their toes sometimes filled with hair, wool, moss, or grass. Many medieval shoes were made using

3008-472: The offerings". Athletic sneaker collection has also existed as a part of urban subculture in the United States for several decades. Recent decades have seen this trend spread to European nations such as the Czech Republic . A Sneakerhead is a person who owns multiple pairs of shoes as a form of collection and fashion. A contributor to the growth of sneaker collecting is the continued global popularity of

3072-639: The oldest shoes found in Europe. It is thought that shoes may have been used long before this, but because the materials used were highly perishable, it is difficult to find evidence of the earliest footwear. Footprints suggestive of shoes or sandals due to having crisp edges, no signs of toes found and three small divots where leather tying laces/straps would have been attached have been at Garden Route National Park , Addo Elephant National Park and Goukamma Nature Reserve in South Africa . These date back to between 73,000 and 136,000 PB. Consistent with

3136-417: The outsole to improve traction. The midsole is the layer in between the outsole and the insole, typically there for shock absorption. Some types of shoes, like running shoes, have additional material for shock absorption , usually beneath the heel of the foot, where one puts the most pressure down. Some shoes may not have a midsole at all. The heel is the bottom rear part of a shoe. Its function

3200-428: The plot. One poem, written by Phebus Etienne with the title "Shoes", focuses on them. It describes religious messages and is 3 stanzas long. The first stanza is one line, whereas the second is 13 lines and the third being 14 lines. Throughout the poem the main character talks about their dead mother and their routine with her grave. Haitians are said to "not put shoes on the dead." as it makes spirits easier to "step over

3264-581: The point getting in the way while walking. Also during the 15th century, chopines were created in Spain , and were usually 7–8 in (180–200 mm) high. These shoes became popular in Venice and throughout Europe, as a status symbol revealing wealth and social standing. During the 16th century, royalty, such as Catherine de Medici or Mary I of England , started wearing high-heeled shoes to make them look taller or larger than life. By 1580, even men wore them, and

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3328-557: The poor and lower classes in Europe, as well as slaves in the New World, were barefoot. In the 15th century, the Crakow was fashionable in Europe . This style of shoe is named because it is thought to have originated in Kraków , the capital of Poland . The style is characterized by the point of the shoe, known as the "polaine", which often was supported by a whalebone tied to the knee to prevent

3392-410: The process, which implies no knowledge of what is done by those who go before or follow him, so the persons employed are not shoemakers, but wounded soldiers, who are able to learn their respective duties in a few hours. The contract at which these shoes are delivered to Government is 6s. 6d. per pair, being at least 2s. less than what was paid previously for an unequal and cobbled article. However, when

3456-435: The production line due to these innovations, more and more of the manufacturing stages, such as pegging and finishing, became automated. By the 1890s, the process of mechanisation was largely complete. On January 24, 1899, Humphrey O'Sullivan of Lowell, Massachusetts , was awarded a patent for a rubber heel for boots and shoes. A process for manufacturing stitchless, that is, glued, shoes— AGO —was developed in 1910. Since

3520-416: The removal of one's shoe also symbolized the dissolution of marriage. In Arab culture , showing the sole of one's shoe is considered an insult, and to throw a shoe and hit someone with it is considered an even greater insult. Shoes are considered to be dirty as they frequently touch the ground, and are associated with the lowest part of the body—the foot . As such, shoes are forbidden in mosques , and it

3584-407: The shoe onto the foot. In the simplest cases, such as sandals or flip-flops, this may be nothing more than a few straps for holding the sole in place. Closed footwear, such as boots, trainers and most men's shoes, will have a more complex upper. This part is often decorated or is made in a certain style to look attractive. The upper is connected to the sole by a strip of leather, rubber, or plastic that

3648-554: The sole of one's shoe or using shoes to insult are forms of protest in many parts of the world. Incidents where shoes were thrown at political figures have taken place in Australia, India, Ireland, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and most notably the Arab world . Empty shoes may also symbolize death. In Greek culture, empty shoes are the equivalent of

3712-734: The time) and a foot and hand icon in one. Shoes A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot . Though the human foot can adapt to varied terrains and climate conditions, it is vulnerable, and shoes provide protection. Form was originally tied to function, but over time, shoes also became fashion items. Some shoes are worn as safety equipment, such as steel-toe boots , which are required footwear at industrial worksites. Additionally, shoes have often evolved into many different designs, such as high heels , which are most commonly worn by women during fancy occasions. Contemporary footwear varies vastly in style, complexity and cost. Basic sandals may consist of only

3776-649: The town of Zuheros in the southern province of Córdoba in Spain . Although the caves were discovered in 1868, they were not studied until 1938. The caves host one of the largest bat colonies in Andalusia . The caves are located in an extensive karst landscape at an altitude of 980 metres in the heart of the Cañada de Malos Vientos mountain (1000 m) in southern Andalusia. The rock formations and caves with stalactites, stalagmites and subterranean lakes were formed due to weathering and leaching of carbonate rocks . The caves have

3840-400: The turnshoe method was largely replaced by the welted rand method (where the uppers are sewn to a much stiffer sole and the shoe cannot be turned inside-out). The turn shoe method is still used for some dance and specialty shoes. By the 15th century, pattens became popular by both men and women in Europe . These are commonly seen as the predecessor of the modern high-heeled shoe , while

3904-461: The use of screws and staples was patented by Richard Woodman . Brunel's system was described by Sir Richard Phillips as a visitor to his factory in Battersea as follows: In another building I was shown his manufactory of shoes, which, like the other, is full of ingenuity, and, in regard to subdivision of labour, brings this fabric on a level with the oft-admired manufactory of pins. Every step in it

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3968-513: The war ended in 1815, manual labour became much cheaper, and the demand for military equipment subsided. As a consequence, Brunel's system was no longer profitable and it soon ceased business. Similar exigencies at the time of the Crimean War stimulated a renewed interest in methods of mechanization and mass-production, which proved longer lasting. A shoemaker in Leicester , Tomas Crick, patented

4032-403: Was seen as a necessity of living in a civilized world, although the slaves and paupers usually went barefoot. Roman soldiers were issued with chiral (left and right shoe different) footwear. Shoes for soldiers had riveted insoles to extend the life of the leather, increase comfort, and provide better traction. The design of these shoes also designated the rank of the officers. The more intricate

4096-497: Was soon repealed, but it was banned again in 1911 by the new Nationalist government. It was effective in coastal cities, but countryside cities continued without much regulation. Mao Zedong enforced the rule in 1949 and the practice is still forbidden. A number of women still have bound feet today. The first steps towards mechanisation were taken during the Napoleonic Wars by the engineer, Marc Brunel . He developed machinery for

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