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The Innovation of the Shoe

By TimeTraveler25
  • 37,983 BCE

    First "Shoes"

    First "Shoes"
    Determining when humans began wearing shoes relies on the fossil record. One theory based on anatomical changes in feet date the first shoe-wearers to Paleolithic times.

  • Shoelaces

    Shoelaces
    A British inventor ushers in the era of modern shoelaces. Tying things with strings wasn’t new, but until then, shoes were largely fastened with buckles or buttons.

  • Vulcanization

    Vulcanization
    Charles Goodyear files a U.S. patent for vulcanization, which processes natural rubber into a durable product. The process paved the way for rubber-soled shoes.

  • McKay Stitcher

    McKay Stitcher
    Lyman Reed Blake patents a sewing machine that can affix shoe uppers to soles. Later improved and called the McKay stitcher, it sped the shoe production process dramatically.

  • The "Sneaker"

    The "Sneaker"
    The United States Rubber Company announces Keds, the first mass-produced shoe marketed as a “sneaker.”

  • "Waffle" Soles

    "Waffle" Soles
    Nike founder Bill Bowerman patents his waffle-soled running shoe concept. The design provided better traction.

  • 3-D Printed Soles

    3-D Printed Soles
    New Balance and Nike announce the first mass-produced athletic shoes with 3-D printed soles, kicking off a new age in customized footwear.