MANUFACTURE
Design
ZAQQ barefoot shoes are simply the most beautiful way to walk barefoot. Our goal is to skillfully showcase the extraordinary, unique features of our ZAQQ barefoot shoes through outstanding and innovative design.
We know that design plays a crucial role, because the "feel-good" factor begins in the mind, long before your feet first feel the soft leather and the luxury of freedom of movement.
Our outstanding and simple design plays with the lightness of modern life. Double seams stylishly and accurately enclose the best possible materials. The exposed Strobel seam inside the shoe allows a glimpse of artisanal perfection and serves as a moving, stylish contrast to the smooth leather side of your ZAQQ barefoot shoe, because we don't settle for superficialities; our design goes beyond the design of the inner shoe to the sole.
Inside is the same as outside, outside is the same as inside. By using the finest suede, barrel-tanned nappa leather, and high-quality vegan materials, ZAQQ barefoot models achieve a unique appearance. We skillfully play with the two sides of the materials, combined with the extraordinary cuts, not only for your feet but also for your eyes, an experience and an absolute exception.
Construction
Your feet are a wonder of nature and have been perfectly developed over millions of years of evolution. Muscles, bones, joints, fascia, and tendons form a complex, interconnected system that is incredibly flexible and sensitive.
Why are we telling you this? Because your new ZAQQ was constructed for your feet and your comfort.
A forefoot with large volume gives your ball of the foot and your toes the space they need to expand in all directions with every step. A completely flat sole with zero heel and no spread keeps your ankle joints flexible and prevents painful misalignments of your entire body. A light cushioning in the sole construction protects your joints and guarantees the incomparable, light ZAQQ walking experience.
Take a closer look at your new ZAQQ barefoot shoes. Do you see how accurately the seams run? Inside the shoe, you can see the Strobel seam, which connects the underside of the shoe with the upper part. We deliberately did not hide this seam under a lining, because craftsmanship perfection should be showcased. Here you see traditional shoemaking art, which creates the unique charm of each ZAQQ barefoot shoe.
In the construction of the ZAQQ barefoot shoes, we focused on the essentials. You can recognize this by a unique and easy-to-use lacing that supports the foot without constricting it, the extensive absence of metal eyelets that disturb the appearance, a cap at the back which gives the shoe stability and prevents pressure points or blisters when worn, or, for example, a small tab on the back cap that makes it easier for you to put on.
In a ZAQQ barefoot shoe, no insole* disrupts the wearing comfort. Thus, sweaty feet are a thing of the past, as leather is a natural product, breathes, and transports sweat out of the shoe for a pleasant wearing experience and a healthy foot climate.
As you can see, we have incorporated many ideas and innovations into your new ZAQQ barefoot shoes to provide you with a special experience - the typically light ZAQQ running feeling. Incidentally, we build not only the most beautiful but also one of the lightest barefoot shoes for you. With a weight of about 200 g, you will hardly feel your new ZAQQ barefoot shoes.
Cutting Leather
In our manufactory, we have all the possibilities to cut leather and vegan materials to the required size. A distinction is made between hand cutting and machine cutting.
Hand cutting is more interesting from a craftsmanship perspective and is preferred by us. Of course, modern laser cutting tables or water cutting systems can work much more effectively and quickly, but no machine can replace the human eye and decades of experience in handling leather.
Therefore, in hand cutting, a template of the required parts is placed on the leather, marked with a leather pen, and then cut out with a special knife. The art lies in positioning the leather and the template so that defects and damages in the leather hide are spared and not processed in the visible area.
Additionally, each leather hide has two different stretch directions. This means that depending on which direction the leather is cut, there will be areas on the shoe that stretch more than others. For example, your ZAQQ barefoot shoes should stretch more in width than in length. Additionally, the entry should not be too stretchable to maintain its shape and ensure the shoe fits perfectly even after years.
As you can see, it's already an art to cut the leather to the right size and shape. Another advantage of hand cutting is that we can build small series for you or develop your individual ZAQQ barefoot shoe.
Lasts
It is a common misconception that all people have the same foot shape. Women's feet differ significantly from men's feet in some respects. For example, a woman's foot is completely differently proportioned because women have a narrower heel and a wider forefoot compared to men. You can easily measure this at home. Therefore, if you just reduced a men's shoe and sold it as a women's shoe, it would be a bit too tight in the forefoot area and a bit too wide at the heel. To build really comfortable and fitting shoes, you need different last shapes.
A last is a form piece made of wood or plastic and is needed for the production of a shoe, as it replicates the shape of the foot. Based on this form, a shoe model is ultimately developed.
The last is thus the heart, the soul of every shoe. If the last is not conscientiously developed and adapted to the foot, the finished shoe can never be manufactured comfortably and accurately.
Almost all manufacturers use a combination last, that is, a uniform last for men and women, because it is, of course, much easier to produce and saves a lot of money and time in development. However, the result is shoes that do not really fit either a man or a woman and, of course, must first be "broken in," meaning the material must first give way at the points where the shoe pinches to adapt to the shape of the foot. Manufacturer tips such as "apply a plaster," "wet the shoe," or "a shoe must first be broken in" are then supposed to disguise the poor fit and profit maximization of the manufacturer. Quality looks different in our eyes.
Therefore, we have taken a lot of time and developed separate lasts for men, women, and children. The advantage for you is that your new ZAQQ barefoot shoes do not need to be broken in and fit perfectly on your foot straight out of the box, for your well-being and the inimitable ZAQQ walking feeling.
You are welcome to visit us, we will then explain the difference and show you our lasts. Transparency ensures quality, a principle we implement daily.
Sewing
The leather parts cut or punched out in the previous work step must now be connected in the appropriate order. The upper part of your new ZAQQ barefoot shoe, also called the shaft, is created by sewing all the individual parts together.
Anyone who has ever tried to sew something knows that this work doesn't happen by itself. To sew the right seam, planning and selecting the appropriate materials is required. To create an optimal seam, you need the right needle, the appropriate thread, the optimal sewing technique, and of course, the right machine.
Not only must the needle and thread be chosen correctly, but the type of seam also varies greatly. Depending on whether it is to be a zigzag seam, an overlock seam, a double seam, or a decorative seam, our manufactory has the suitable and specialized sewing machine for each seam, because only with perfect working conditions can extraordinary products be created.
Strobel
“Strobel” represents a method for sewing a shoe, which is perfectly suited for our flexible ZAQQ barefoot shoes. Unlike other production methods, strobel allows for the omission of a joint stiffening. Another advantage of this method is that no bulges, uneven areas, or hard edges arise, and the volume of the inner shoe can be maximized.
You ultimately feel this with every step in your new ZAQQ barefoot shoes, as this gives all ZAQQ barefoot shoes their almost limitless flexibility and comfort.
You can squeeze, twist, turn, and crumple your new ZAQQ barefoot shoes as you wish; thanks to the sophisticated construction, your ZAQQ won't mind.
Just take a closer look at your new ZAQQ. Inside, you can clearly see the strobel seam, which connects the lower part of your barefoot shoe with the upper shaft. Notice how evenly and accurately this seam is executed. Here, you recognize the true craftsmanship of our employees. Why should we hide something so beautiful and high-quality under an insole?
When a shoe literally "fits like a glove," it is often due to its strobel construction.
The word “Strobel” originates from the company that invented this special sewing machine for shoes, the Strobel machine. However, you cannot compare a Strobel machine with a normal sewing machine, as it works fundamentally differently. A Strobel machine connects two parts in a very extraordinary way. A needle pierces the thread through both leather parts. On the other side, a small hook picks up the thread and guides it back over the leather edge to the front where the needle catches the thread and pierces it through the leather again. Thus, loop by loop is linked until the shoe is completely surrounded. To accurately strobel a shoe, a lot of craftsmanship and experience is necessary, as the smooth lower part of the shoe must be connected with the much larger upper part.
Emboss
Barefoot shoes that leave our manufactory mainly carry the ZAQQ lettering on the insole.
For this lettering, we also resort to an extraordinary solution. For high-quality processing and a special look, these letterings are permanently embossed into the leather or vegan materials using a complex process with a hot embossing stamp.
As the name suggests, a brass stamp is heated to exactly 180 ° Celsius and then pressed into the piece of leather using a press. The right pressure and the exact timing are crucial to achieve a truly perfect result. The lettering is embossed into the material and retains its shape even after years.
The advantage over transfer stamps or simple ink stamps is that the motif cannot be slowly worn away by mechanical impact. A shoe that has once been embossed with the ZAQQ logo remains a genuine ZAQQ barefoot shoe for its entire life.
As you can see, your new ZAQQ barefoot shoes are really thought out down to the last detail and are a true one-of-a-kind.
Glue and Hand-Sew Sole*
One of the last and yet most difficult steps is sewing the sole. There are highly developed machines for this as well.
We had to test for a long time to find the most sustainable and high-quality variant.
Sewing the sole also consists of many individual, demanding tasks. The upper must be prepared accordingly at the glue points. For this, each upper is taped by hand to then carefully roughen the material. The entire sole is also roughened at the glue surface to achieve an optimal bond with the adhesive.
Subsequently, the sole is carefully pulled onto the upper by hand and placed in the sole press. Here, an air-filled rubber cushion on one side and a ball and heel mold piece on the other side come together under high pressure. This allows the rubber cushion to completely wrap around the sole and bond it precisely.
The right amount is crucial. If too much glue is applied, it will be pushed out at the edges; with too little glue, the sole will not find the right hold. If the pressure of the press is set too high, the upper or the sole can be damaged. You see, gluing a sole sounds easier than it really is.
This is also the reason why we spared no expense and effort and decided on our own manufactory, because only in this way can we guarantee that every shoe is made with the same dedication and passion with which we developed them.
After gluing, the ZAQQ sole is also sewn. An old shoemaker's proverb says, a seam can only be replaced by an even stronger seam. Of course, modern adhesives are capable of connecting a sole with an upper. However, there is always the possibility that the adhesive bond will loosen over time, especially in heavily stressed areas. Only a seam provides a permanent remedy here. For this reason, a hand-sewn sole stands for the highest quality standards and emphasizes the uniqueness of your new ZAQQ barefoot shoes. Many manufacturers know this and therefore imitate a seam on their shoes to deceive customers into thinking they are of higher quality. We at ZAQQ, however, love quality and do not settle for half measures.
*except certain models
