Manufacturing

New Sewing Machine

by LAURA SHUMAKER June 18, 2014

SFT owns its first piece of industrial equipment. I purchased an industrial zig-zag stitch sewing machine last week.

Having zig-zag stitch capability is critical to making comfortable climbing shoes because it enables abutted seams. The main seam on rock climbing shoes crosses the ends of one's toes right where the shoe touches the rock. With a normal, non-abutted seam, this would mean there would be more than 2 layers of fabric between one's toes and the rock, right where the most sensitivity is required. Abutted seams don't have any overlap, so the entire shoe has only one fabric thickness and no bulky seams.