Barker, a name synonymous with finest quality shoes, is found throughout the world. Grown from a humble cottage in Northamptonshire, England, in 1880, Barker shoes have grown to an international reputation reknown for its modern methods of production whilst maintaining the same skills, traditions and craftsmanship which set the foundation for fine elegant shoes.
Specialising in the best goodyear welted shoes around, Barker shoes are beautifully designed and styled to suit the most demanding of customers. Albert Barker has widely been credited as the man who brought this brand to great heights. Employing skilled shoemakers and ensuring the highest quality control, Barker shoes supplied boots to the British army during the First World War. Needless to say, the brand has grown from strength to strength.
Barker’s goodyear welted shoes are sought after due to its hand-crafted design with some 200,000 pairs produced annually. Each pair of goodyear welted shoes deliver excellent insulation against cold and heat, good shape retention and a unique feature – easy to repair.
“Barkerwelt”, a special Barker version of the welted construction employs the cementing of the sole method rather than stitching to ensure a longer lasting pair of shoe. This allows for a closer sole edge and a lighter sole giving finer looking, more flexible sole – whilst still retaining the advantages of welted shoes.
After investing into your new pair of Goodyear Welted Shoes, it is most important to give it proper maintenance and attntion to ensure comfort wearing and excellent appearance for many years. It is not uncommon for such shoes to last for a good 5 years or more depending on how you care for the shoes.
For starters, having a pair of natural leather goodyear welted shoes obviously gives you better comfort and lasting compared to synthetic materials. Try to observe the following tips on shoe care:-
1. To keep the backs strong and stable, use a shoehorn when putting on your shoes. A strong and sturdy back helps to prevent against ankle injuries as well.
2. Avoid wearing your shoes in wet conditions during the first few occasions. When the shoe is new, it needs time to be conditioned to your feet and keeping it dry will help during this process.
3. Where possible, ensure that the shoes are given a day’s rest before wearing them again. Natural leather shoes require time to dry out through natural perspiration. Having two pairs of shoes or more to for alternate wearing would be best.
4. If shoes are wet, dry them naturally and away from direct heat. Do not place them near a heater as this will damage the leather. Stuff some newspaper into the shoe to assist the drying process.
5. Use a shoe tree to keep the shoe in good shape. This will also allow the shoe to breathe.
6. To prevent cracking, drying or excessive creasing, use a good-quality cream or wax polish regularly to moisturise the leather. Make sure the colour of the cream or wax is similar to your goodyear welted shoes before applying.
7. Engage a professional cobbler to replace the sole or heel before it wears out.
