The thread used is heavy-duty cotton, coated in wax to provide even more waterproofing. Workers apply rubber cement to set the two pieces in place and increase watertightness, then use a three-needle machine to triple-stitch the two pieces together. This happened to 90 of Bean’s first 100 boots, but the process has come a long way since then. Vamping, simply put, is the attachment of the leather upper to the rubber bottom, and as Leon Leonwood Bean himself learned while making his original 100 boots, if you get it wrong, the whole thing falls apart. While stitching and cutting make up a significant portion of the manufacturing process, the shoe’s vamping is a pivotal step. If you’re just tromping around the city, go for the Bean Boots. Simply put, if you’re going to be using your boots for their stated purpose, get the Maine Hunting Shoe. Meanwhile, the Bean Boot is an updated version of the Maine Hunting Shoe for the city, with a harder sole that can better endure pavement. The Maine Hunting Shoe has a softer sole for feeling the forest floor, and has darker leathers and burnished hardware to avoid reflecting light. Though often used as interchangeable terms, there is a difference between the Maine Hunting Shoe and Bean Boot. What’s the Difference Between the Maine Hunting Shoe and Bean Boot? The new machines and the Brunswick factory’s skilled workers will operate in tandem. Operations manager Royce Haines assured us that workers will not be replaced. But don’t think this is the end of handmade boots - some steps are too complicated for computer-controlled machines. While L.L.Bean has traditionally hand-cut and hand-stitched all of its boots, computer-operated machines are able to complete these tasks much more quickly. To combat future shortages, and to fulfill backlogged orders, L.L.Bean has seen some hefty changes to their manufacturing process which, for starters, includes hiring new people and adding a third shift that has helped keep a steady flow of new boots coming out of the factory. L.L.Bean’s Boots have increased in demand recently, and 2014’s Christmas shopping season saw a shortage in L.L.Bean’s inventory by a staggering 100,000 boots. Half a million pairs is also a lofty figure compared to previous years of production. While L.L.Bean manufactures and sells a variety of outdoor goods, L.L.Bean’s boots are the brand’s most notorious product. Considering L.L.Bean’s projected output for 2015 is around half a million pairs of boots, the efficient use of space is impressive. Because L.L.Bean uses the Brunswick factory for a variety of other operations - namely home goods, tote bags and custom embroidery - the boot manufacturing is concentrated at the center of the factory and takes up a surprisingly small amount of space about a third of the overall factory. Today, L.L.Bean manufactures the Bean Boot in Brunswick, Maine, about half an hour north of Portland. While L.L.Bean manufactures and sells a variety of outdoor goods (everything from flannel to dog beds) L.L.Bean’s boots remain the brand’s most ubiquitous product. The result was the iconically two-toned Maine Hunting Shoe, worn today by both the hip and the rugged. The idea was this: to keep his feet dry and toasty, he would build a boot where the lower half was made from rubber and attach it to a leather upper. Bean was an avid outdoorsman and hunter who - tired of having cold, wet feet - decided to create his own boot that would actually keep the elements away from his extremities. Leon Leonwood Bean founded L.L.Bean in 1912. And one of the largest shoemaking operations still in Maine is L.L.Bean - a brand synonymous with the rocky coast and rugged woodland. Quoddy’s handsome moc toe footwear is put together in Lewiston. New Balance manufactures its popular US574 model in Norridgewock. In some respects that may be true, but Maine is still home to a thriving shoemaking industry. Logic would dictate that in the modern era of mass production and outsourcing, Maine’s bustling shoe industry would take a major hit. Shoemaking is an integral part of Maine’s identity, and many of America’s most revered shoemakers have - at one point or another - cobbled together a pair of shoes or boots in the New England state.
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