Solovair (, "Sole of air") is a brand of British-made

boot A boot is a type of footwear. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle, while some also cover some part of the lower calf. Some boots extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearl ...

s and

footwear Footwear refers to garments worn on the feet, which typically serve the purpose of protective clothing, protection against adversities of the environment such as wear from rough ground; stability on slippery ground; and temperature. *Shoes and si ...

, produced by NPS Shoes Ltd., which was established in 1881. The NPS factory is based in Wollaston,

Northamptonshire Northamptonshire ( ; abbreviated Northants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It is bordered by Leicestershire, Rutland and Lincolnshire to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshi ...

, an area known for its

shoe A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. Though the human foot can adapt to varied terrains and climate conditions, it is vulnerable, and shoes provide protection. Form was originally tied to function, but ...

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#Shoe_construction, shoe outsole. The basic principle behind the Goodyear welt machine was invented in 1862 by Auguste Destouy, who designed a machi ...

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.

History

Solovair was originally founded in 1881 as a

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

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 come in many styles and sizes, depending on the exact job they are designed for. Common variations ...

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 Grinder may refer to: Machinery *Various types of grinding machine, used in a machining operation to refine the surface of materials *Food grinders **Blade grinder, includes food processors, blenders, electric coffee and spice grinders, etc. **Co ...

and Tredair brands amongst others.

Style

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

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