Solovair (Pronounced like "Sole of air") is a brand of

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

-made boots and footwear, produced by NPS Shoes Ltd., which was established in 1881. The NPS factory is based in Wollaston,

Northamptonshire Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. It is ...

, an area known for its

shoe A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. They are often worn with a sock. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration and fashion. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture ...

industry.The NPS Shoes factory
has its roots in the village of Wollaston, Northamptonshire and has been our lifelong home since 1881. NPS shoes are known for their

Goodyear welt A Goodyear welt is a strip of leather, rubber, or plastic that runs along the perimeter of a shoe outsole. The machinery used for the process was invented in 1869 by Charles Goodyear Jr., the son of Charles Goodyear. It has been noted by histor ...

technology which is used in all their shoe production. This particular technique is needed to fix the Solovair sole onto "Soft Sole Suspension" boots and shoes. Solovair was originally founded in 1881 as a

cooperative A cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-contro ...

known as the Northamptonshire Productive Society (NPS), which is the name of the parent company of Solovair. Shoe manufacturer R. Griggs Group Ltd. had the patent to produce Dr. Martens boots but not the technology. In 1960 Griggs and NPS collaborated to create a boot using a Solovair sole and a Griggs upper, and the result was the now iconic Dr. Martens boot. The first pair left the NPS factory in 1960. NPS Shoes continued to make footwear under licence until the mid 1990s called 'Dr Martens made by Solovair'. They trademarked the name Solovair in 1995 and now make their own air-cushioned boot using the same

last A last is a mechanical form shaped like a human foot. It is used by shoemakers and cordwainers in the manufacture and repair of shoes. Lasts typically come in pairs and have been made from various materials, including hardwoods, cast iron, an ...

s and leather cutters and machines used to create the first original Dr. Martens suspension soles in the UK. NPS Shoes manufacture for Gripfast, George Cox, Vegetarian Shoes, Grinders and Tredair brands amongst others. Solovair products come in a variety of styles, colours, and number of eyelets. Recognisable features include grey stitching around the top of the sole, and a green and black pull loop at the top of the back stay with the Solovair logo and "Made in England since 1881" on the back. The underside of the sole has the Solovair logo. Solovair is known for their use of the

and the use of the Puritan stitch.

References

External links

Solovair website
{{skinhead 1881 establishments in the United Kingdom Boots Companies based in Northamptonshire Companies established in 1881 Shoe brands Shoe companies of the United Kingdom