Occupation shoemaker, leather repairer

Shoemakers, leather repairers construct, decorate or repair leather and leather-like products, such as shoes, belts and bags.

Tasks

• Confer with customers to obtain relevant information, e.g. their requirements, and to give them advice.
• Calculate the costs of requested products or services such as custom footwear or footwear repair, and receive payment from customers.
• Select materials (e.g. leather or fabric), and choose or prepare patterns.
• Position or outline patterns onto materials, and cut out parts, e.g. using knives, shears, scissors, and machine presses.
• Treat leather or other materials to obtain desired effects, decorations or shapes, using various techniques such as dyeing, painting, stamping, stitching, staining or punching holes.
• Join parts, e.g. by aligning and stitching or glueing materials.
• Attach insoles to shoe lasts, affix shoe uppers, and apply heels and outsoles.
• Position and secure linings, and attach accessories, e.g. buckles and eyelets.
• Finish and clean the product, e.g. trim soles and heels to shape, check the product quality, and polish shoes.
• Repair footwear and other leather products, e.g. replace worn soles and heels, insoles or accessories (buckles, zips, straps, etc.) and renew stitching.
• Keep the work area tidy, and clean and maintain tools and machinery.
• Perform business-related tasks such as marketing, purchasing supplies and equipment, keeping financial records, etc.

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