ExIT Shoes is my one man custom handmade shoe shop in Portland, Oregon.
I learned to make shoes from great craftsmen in the United States and the Netherlands. It’s my goal to continue the European tradition of making shoes for individuals based on their actual feet with the best available materials.
I make shoes for walking, dancing, working and just fooling around. I can make prototype shoes from drawings or from a shoe you have but would like to change.
Many people have a favorite shoe that they keep for special occasions. They don’t wear them as often as they would like because they don’t quite fit. I can reproduce your favorite shoe with a fit that makes the shoe wearable.
About the Materials
A shoe can be either a dry clean healthy environment for your foot or mold trap. The difference is in the materials. The shoe components for my shoes are always made from vegetable tanned leather. For example, the insole, toe box, heel counters and liners will always be made from vegetable tanned leather. I purchase vegetable tanned upper leather from Italian tanners who produce some of the finest leather in the world.
Why care about vegetable tanning? Vegetable tanned leather takes longer to produce and is more expensive when finely finished, but it is also one of the oldest methods of tanning leather. Vegetable tanning soaks hides in a tea made from tree leaves and/or bark. Chestnut and oak are very commonly used. Even if the sustainability of this ancient process doesn’t motivate your shoe purchase, or the fact that the German soling leather I use is from one of the cleanest tanneries in the world doesn’t influence you, consider this: after careful washing and neutralizing, there are still residual tannins in vegetable tanned leather. Those tannins can kill mold, fungus, mildew, etc. and help to keep the shoe smelling great even after years of continuous wear. Vegetable tanned leather also absorbs more moisture than chrome tanned leather so your feet stay dry inside the shoe. My vegetable tanned leather shoes will give your conscience and your feet a lot to feel good about.
Exotic chrome tanned leathers are used by special request, only. The European Union has made a concerted effort to cut down the use of chrome in tanning leather. Most of the glues used for shoe repair and construction in the US were banned some time ago in the EU. I use water based glues where possible.
Start With Your Feet
No pair of feet are the same. Even your left foot is different than your right. When shopping for shoes, you look for the perfect match of style, color and fit. Unfortunately, your feet must match what’s produced in the shoe factories. If your feet don’t match the production model, it can be difficult to find a shoe you want that fits.
Why not turn it around? Start with your feet. Once the fit is worked out, I can create a shoe in the color and style you want.
Wear and Life Span
A well fitted pair of shoes should not stress at the seams or stitching. Worn soles can be replaced and heels rebuilt or recapped. With proper care, your handmade shoes will easily last 10 to 20 years.
On this site you will find the history of each handmade shoe I’ve made and some information on the process of making shoes in general. Prices are listed on the “Cost” page.
Please contact me to have custom shoes made for you.