How The World’s Most Interesting Sneakers Work.

Summary

This is the first episode of “The World’s Most Fantastic,” a new series where Michael explores the highest quality, most uniquely made apparel items in the world. The focus is on Feit Classic Lows - $850 sneakers that are completely handmade without a single machine used in their production.

Michael explores why vintage sneakers have an indescribable quality that modern ones can’t replicate, even when the original manufacturers try. The answer lies in two factors: superior materials used in the past and the handmade production processes that introduce subtle human decisions into every pair. The Feit sneakers achieve this vintage warmth through vegetable-tanned horsehide leather from Italian tannery Marim, cork footbeds, and completely hand-lasted construction.

The video provides a detailed breakdown of the sneaker’s construction: hand-lasting the leather around a foot-shaped last, sewing the upper to the insole’s gemming, filling gaps with cork, gluing on a leather strip to hide construction, adding a vegetable-tanned leather outsole, and finishing with Vibram pads. Michael also addresses the controversial manufacturing location - a factory in China that he describes as a “unicorn” capable of producing handsewn footwear that would cost $2,500 if made in Italy.

Highlights

”This sneaker would have been easier to make 150 years ago”

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“This sneaker would have been easier to make 150 years ago. And apparently now these can only be made in one factory in the entire world.” — Michael, 0:18

”The brands say it’s impossible to remake their vintage sneakers”

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“The brands that made those vintage running shoes, cleats and sneakers now say it’s impossible to perfectly remake those exact same things that they used to make. There’s always something missing - they don’t feel right.” — Michael, 1:14

”Horsehide got more expensive after we stopped riding horses”

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“Horsehide unsurprisingly got a lot more expensive after we stopped riding horses into town every single day.” — Michael, 6:00

”He’s not sure if there are enough hand sewers in Italy”

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“He said basically one, he’s not sure if there’s even enough hand sewers in Italy to make these shoes, two they would be stiffer and constructed differently, and three they would start at $2500 instead of $850.” — Michael, 9:39

”Those tiny little things mean your sneaker loses handmade warmth”

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“Those tiny little things that someone is not working on themselves and that Nike and big brands have to account for means your sneaker loses that sense of handmade warmth.” — Michael, 13:04

Key Points

• Feit Classic Lows Price (1:35) - $850 sneakers that would cost $2,500 if made anywhere else besides their specific factory
• Made in One Factory (0:25) - Can only be made in one factory in the entire world, known for incredible precision
• Vintage Warmth Quality (1:01) - These sneakers have an indescribable vintage warmth that modern sneakers from big brands cannot replicate
• Cork Footbeds (2:49) - Both peanut butter-like cork and compressed cork create a Birkenstock-like comfort
• Horsehide Leather (4:53) - Made from horse, not cow - denser leather that breaks in quickly while retaining strength
• Vegetable Tanning (3:33) - Original tanning method using organic materials like bark, acorns, and leaves; more breathable and durable than chrome tanning
• Hand Lasting Process (7:09) - Person yanks leather around the last, nails it at the bottom, steams for 5 days
• No Machine Production (6:51) - Completely built by hand without a single machine in the entire process
• Designed for Sockless Wear (6:33) - No metal in tanning to avoid skin irritation, meant to be worn without socks
• Glue vs Stitching Trade-off (8:23) - Uses significant glue to maintain minimalist aesthetic despite being hand-sewn
• Italian Leather Source (3:17) - Leather from Marim Tannery in Italy
• Factory in China (9:21) - Made in a Chinese factory described as a “unicorn” that multiple shoe brands use
• Italy Price Comparison (9:41) - Same shoes would cost $2,500 if made in Italy, and there may not be enough hand-sewers there
• Why Vintage Sneakers Look Different (11:31) - 1960s-70s running boom used high quality materials; hand processes introduce attractive imperfections
• Machine Lasting Differences (12:36) - Machine lasting creates tight, slim look that Nike compensates for with thicker materials

Mentions

Companies

• Feit (0:49) - Australian brand making $850 hand-lasted sneakers, founded by Tull Price
• Marim Tannery (3:17) - Italian tannery supplying the vegetable-tanned horsehide
• Nike (11:34) - Mentioned in context of 1960s-70s running boom and modern Flyknit technology
• Puma (11:34) - Racing with Nike and Adidas during the running boom
• Adidas (11:34) - Racing with Nike and Puma; mentioned for modern sneaker technology
• On (12:08) - Swiss brand that debuted a 3D printed sneaker
• Vaer Watches (4:59) - Sponsor, featuring R1 Chronograph assembled in USA
• Vibram (8:19) - Custom small batch outsole pads used on Feit sneakers
• Birkenstock (2:56) - Comfort comparison for cork footbeds
• Mr. Porter (1:43) - Referenced for Feit product photos
• Goodyear (7:44) - Mentioned for Goodyear welt construction comparison

Products & Technologies

• Feit Classic Lows (0:49) - The $850 hand-lasted horsehide sneakers
• Vegetable Tanning (3:33) - Traditional tanning using tannins from bark, acorns, and leaves
• Chrome Tanning (3:50) - Modern tanning using chromium salts, faster but less environmentally friendly
• Horsehide Leather (4:53) - Denser than cowhide, allows thinner leather with equal strength
• Hand Lasting (7:09) - Manual process of shaping leather around a last
• Machine Lasting (7:21) - Automated process that creates different characteristics
• Goodyear Welt Construction (7:44) - Alternative construction method with additional leather strip
• Cork Footbeds (2:49) - Used in both smooth and compressed forms
• Vaer R1 Chronograph (5:01) - Watch assembled in USA, water resistant to 100m, sapphire crystal
• Flyknit (12:04) - Nike’s modern sneaker technology

People

• Tull Price (2:30) - Founder of Feit, worked in footwear industry for decades
• Taylor (8:48) - Michael’s partner, mentioned when he talks about his love for the sneakers
• Tom Selleck (5:37) - Humorously referenced in watch sponsor segment

Places

• Italy (3:17) - Source of Marim Tannery leather; would cost $2,500 to manufacture there
• China (9:21) - Location of the “unicorn” factory that manufactures Feit sneakers
• Sheffield, England (11:21) - Where Crown Northampton makes their shoes

Surprising Quotes

“This sneaker would have been easier to make 150 years ago.” — 0:18

“The brands that made those vintage running shoes cleats and sneakers now say it’s impossible to perfectly remake those exact same things that they used to make. There’s always something missing they don’t feel right.” — 1:14

“Horsehide unsurprisingly got a lot more expensive after we stopped riding horses into town every single day.” — 6:00

“He said basically one he’s not sure if there’s even enough hand sewers in Italy to make these shoes, two they would be stiffer and constructed differently, and three they would start at $2500 instead of $850.” — 9:39

“Those tiny little things that someone is not working on themselves and that Nike and big brands have to account for means your sneaker loses that sense of handmade warmth.” — 13:04

Transcript

0:04 14 certification of authenticity cork foot beds woven laces what does it say very minimal care guide vegetable tan leather foot beds doesn’t feel like a vegetable.

0:18 This sneaker would have been easier to make 150 years ago and apparently now these can only be made in one factory oh and apparently now these can only be made in one Factory in the entire world uh we’ll look into that a factory that has a reputation of being so precise and so observant that when I spoke to another shoe maker he said he brought in one of his shoes to be copied and they copied every single detail down to a single stitch with an incorrect tension that caused a slight barely noticeable crease in the leather.

0:49 These are the Feit Classic Lows every photo on their site looks like this so I’m copying it and upon looking at these sneakers you may notice some Indescribable quality to them that feels like this Photograph specifically or like these what you’re looking at before is a series of images that I collected online of vintage cleats running shoes and sneakers that all also feel like this Photograph they have a vintage warmth to them that these Feit sneakers also have.

1:14 What’s interesting though the brands that made those vintage running shoes cleats and sneakers now say it’s impossible to perfectly remake those exact same things that they used to make there’s always something missing they don’t feel right so why is that that’s our goal today figure that out.

1:31 And also this is an obscenely high-quality sneaker one of the best in the world and the price reflects that a lot so why the heck does it cost that much and what goes into it because if you look closely you’ll see this leather strip that Feit is famous for the leather strip has a secret behind it and it hides how the shoe was made which we do need to talk about if you’re a shoe nerd cuz there’s some things you should probably know.

1:49 So with all of that I would like to welcome you to the first episode in the World’s Most Fantastic a series where I will travel the world trying to find the highest quality craziest made apparel items that I can possibly find anywhere.

2:02 Part of the draw with these sneakers by the way is that uh that’s pretty bad shot part of the fun with these sneakers is that they age beautifully over time so I’ve worn these for like 2 months or so and I’ll show you what they look like when I got them what I look like when they worn them then I clean them up and they look like this but you’ll see you know it’s fun to see so we’ll do that throughout the video.

2:20 Very important disclaimer I paid for these 100% with my own money these popped up on an Instagram ad and I thought they were the cats meow so I bought them and then I fought tooth and nail to get in really it’s really hard to get in contact with Tull Price over at Feit the founder of the brand I only connected with Tull to get more information on this and to confirm things and make sure that I was right and not telling you the incorrect information.

2:41 What’s up guys it’s Michael hope you’re doing well sorry about the hair today it’s basically 1,000% humidity and I’m drowning in the air so it’s like a fish’s life.

2:49 First thing that goes into these sneakers is basically cork both cork that looks like peanut butter and compressed cork that is why comfort level these sneakers feel like you’re wearing Birkenstocks most of the time. You can do a whole video on cork because it’s used to insulate missiles and spaceships and your feet but that video is not today so stay on topic.

3:04 There’s really only two ingredients that go into these sneakers one of them is cork like I mentioned the other one is leather there’s also a lot of glue that we will talk about in a second and wax cotton threads here.

3:17 But what about this leather it’s from Marim Tannery an Italian Tannery that may also be pronounced marim I’m not positive. Tanning is the most important part of the process because it’s where we take animal skin which can rot and decompose and get gross over time and turn it into something stable that we know and love that also in this case smells very very good leather.

3:33 There’s two major ways to do it there is vegetable tanning which is the original OG way of doing things with tannins from organic materials a lot of times it’s bark or acorns or leaves or a mix of all of that stuff and the word tanning is used because we’re using tannins from the organic materials to make animal skin into leather.

3:50 And then there’s Chrome tanning Chrome tanning instead of using tannins and organic things uses chromium salts which are very very harsh but they tan leather incredibly fast that’s why you see Chrome tan leather everywhere it has a lot of things that you might like about it too it’s very soft more water resistant it can take color on easier the bad part is that it’s not the best for the environment especially compared to vegetable tanning.

4:11 But vegetable tanning also has its own Pros that are very fun and that you might like and some negatives but the pros are cool if Chrome tanning is really good at being water resistant vegetable tanning is not as good but it is far more breathable than Chrome tan leather so that’s a plus it’s also generally and I have to say generally because there’s always ifs and buts and things like that more durable very very tough it’s a harder leather it’s a hold on it’s a very creaky leather.

4:36 Which you won’t be able to… this that’s when I first got the shoes and the creaks went away after I treated them a little bit. Whoa caught a leaf monster here but it patinas absolutely stunningly which is why I got these shoes and why I bet a lot of leather nerds get these shoes.

4:53 But these shoes have another trick up their sleeve this is not made of cow this is made of horse oops microphone fell off this is made of horse leather.

4:59 We interrupt this program to bring you 60 seconds with Vaer here are facts about the chronograph R1 my name is Michael you just watched like 5 minutes of me nice to see you again. Number one the R1 chronograph is assembled in a little tiny country I like to call the United States of America. Number two the R1 is water resistant to 100 m actually 100 m and it comes with a 2-year waterproof guarantee from Vaer to back that up you should back that up. Number three this watch utilizes sapphire crystals so you can’t scratch the watch even if you tried unless you have a sapphire knife or Diamond Knife.

5:30 Four this watch is a perfect size whether you are a big Green Giant or a tiny little rabbit 38 mm is a fantastic size is that you Tom Selleck oh wait a minute sorry you both look so great with that watch on. Number five the R1 chronograph utilizes a mega quartz movement which is accurate to minus 10 seconds or plus 20 seconds per month.

5:47 And number six my favorite fact is the R1 is a chronograph which is the best complication in watches you can’t argue with me cuz I can’t hear you either way though thank you very much to Vaer for sponsoring this video If you like this watch check out the link in the description and I will TTY YL.

6:00 Horsehide unsurprisingly got a lot more expensive after we stopped riding horses into town every single day but it also has some really cool properties when you compare it to something like cowhide it’s a very dense leather it’s denser than cowhide and you can feel it everything feels tighter as in the grain structure of it all so it does crease it doesn’t roll like shell cordovan which doesn’t crease at all and is very shiny and stuff this is definitely a different leather than that.

6:22 The point is that you can use a thinner leather that will break in very quickly and still have it be incredibly strong like a thicker cowhide would be so you get the best of both worlds.

6:33 The whole point of Feit is that you wear these very naturally you’re supposed to wear them without socks they don’t use metal in the tanning for that reason because it can irritate people’s skin it’s more natural it’s more breathable but by using a horsehide you can get a lot of beautiful characteristics out of the leather and still retain a ton of insane strength while you can break in your shoes.

6:51 Now the cool thing is that this is also completely built by hand they don’t use a single machine in the entire process so how does that work?

6:56 If you’re a footwear nerd you probably saw the $850 price tag and thought woo that’s very expensive maybe a little too expensive until I said these shoes are completely hand lasted and hand sewn so what the heck is happening on the construction end.

7:09 Quick rundown of how these shoes are made like I said they’re hand lasted a last is a little foot-shaped thing that is made of anything basically besides foot because you don’t want to nail something into your foot to make a shoe.

7:21 Machine lasting typically works like this last goes down a machine goes and shapes the leather into the shape of the last and hand lasting means instead of machine doing that a person is yanking the leather or other material around the last nailing it at the bottom and then they put it in a steam room for like 5 days and then it takes the shape of the last.

7:39 Then what they do is they take this upper and they sew it onto the gemming gemming not gemming of the insole this is not Goodyear welt construction which involves another strip of leather that goes around the shoe some people may actually like the welt to be there because say you can resole the welt twice and then you have to replace the welt once that means you’re only touching the important leather once for two resoles instead of twice so shoes may last a little bit longer.

8:02 The rest of the process is actually very simple so we have a little gap from that gemming gemming not gemming we fill that in with cork then we glue on another chunk of cork then we glue on this leather strip whose job is to hide all of that construction then we glue on a vegetable tanned leather outsole then we glue on Vibram pads.

8:21 I’m saying glue a lot for a reason these sneakers really use a lot of glue. Glue as you probably know is used very heavily in modern day sneaker production we’re going less and less the sewing route more and more the glue route. People that pay $850 for sneakers though may like more stitching because there’s more points of failure instead of the glue coming undone one stitch at a time might unravel if it’s hand sewn for example.

8:40 These are obviously very functional sneakers I wore them in the last video I wear them every day I love them they’re my favorite sneakers every time I put them on I look at Taylor and I say I love these shoes okay let’s go.

8:50 But they also balance this minimalist art thing that they’re going after more than like dress shoes or really heavy-duty leather boots so they use glue around the side seams here and certain other places and that’s not to say other brands don’t use glue but Feit does use a lot mainly to keep them still stylistically minimal.

9:05 And finally before we take all of this information and then we translate it into why new sneakers cannot look like old sneakers we have to talk about the price these are $850 like I said expensive but technically should cost $2500 if they’re made anywhere else besides where they are made China.

9:21 Oh pause wait a minute we’re going to revisit what I just said with other examples cuz uh we’ll just revisit in a sec this Factory in China is kind of a unicorn of the world. I spoke to like five shoe and boot brands before I got in contact with Tull and they all said oh yeah stuff is definitely made in this Factory.

9:35 And when I spoke to Tull about this and asked him about it he said basically one he’s not sure if there’s even enough hand sewers in Italy to make these shoes two they would be stiffer and constructed differently and three they would start at $2500 instead of $850 to be made that’s where I got the number that’s what he said.

9:53 Welcome back just got dinner plainly this is always a very hot topic on this channel so I just wanted to show you my homework so we’re all on the same page with things. Feit doesn’t really have an exact comp in the market no one’s making something super similar to them so I’m showing you a bunch of boots and sneakers that have some similarities some differences and the prices that go with those.

10:10 When I spoke with Tull specifically about manufacturing and this Factory he said that after working in the Footwear industry for decades this is the only Factory that could produce this shoe and handsewn Footwear to his exact specifications and stiffness and everything like that the only Factory where things worked.

10:26 All of that is to say that I now have confirmation that something similar to this can be made in the US for example that’s where my contact that I asked was for a similar price that is listed on the website right now but that is not including the custom box the extras that these come with the custom small batch Vibram outsoles that they use custom leathers and all of those things.

10:44 With all of that Tull says if he’s going to mimic that exact process in Italy it will cost $2,500. You can make something similar in the US to this for what they retail for now but it might not have the exact little nuances or specifications or something that Tull is looking for.

10:59 I’m not saying these are overpriced or underpriced just want to give you context because sometimes this is a very hot topic that is everything that I have and that I know and I reached out to a few manufacturers to confirm.

11:09 Either way that is that they make their latex shoes in Italy I make my clothing in America Crown Northampton shoes I’m wearing today which I oh I designed these by the way it’s my first collaboration coming soon they make their shoes in Sheffield England.

11:21 So with that we finally return to the question why do vintage sneakers cleats and running shoes look different than modern ones and why is it virtually impossible.

11:31 In the ’60s ’70s when the running boom happened all of a sudden we had Nike Puma Adidas all racing to be the de facto running shoes so they were all using very very high quality materials from their inception and those very high quality materials used early on yes certain things like foam on sneakers degraded over time and stuff like that but the leather was a higher quality so it creased different it yellowed over time it might have not disintegrated or flaked or chipped or something like that so it had a different look to it.

11:57 But also at the same time these were not the billion dollar brands that we know today this the sneaker game now is absolutely insane we’re doing Flyknit stuff with Nike I forget what Adidas calls theirs On just debuted that 3D printed sneaker it’s insane we have Brands adding billions of dollars into their manufacturing when in the old days there was a lot more hands-on processes.

12:15 And that is the key to everything besides the materials aging when you are hand lasting a shoe for example not that that’s what Nike was doing when they first debuted the person doing that is making a ton of decisions should I pull the leather this tight do I need to do this workaround that changes the way something looks at the end even if you can’t notice it there are certain things that are not perfect that are very attractive right Taylor.

12:34 What if we look at it from a nerdy perspective if you’re machine lasting you get a different characteristic which Nike has to account for machine lasting when compared to hand lasting has a very tight slim stretched look so what does Nike do they modify the material the leather so it can be a little thicker have a little bit more life to it a little bit more like bulbous characteristics to it or they modify the last that it goes around to make it thicker and more bulbous and look more like it should.

13:00 And all that is to say those tiny little things that someone is not working on themselves and that Nike and big brands have to account for means your sneaker loses that sense of handmade warmth both from lesser quality materials being used but also the way it’s interacted with when it’s being made.

13:16 Thank you very much for tuning in to the World’s Most Fantastic this job is a literal dream of mine and always has been so thank you for that and I will see you very soon I’m going.