First produced by the Visitgoths in the 7th century, cordovan is a type of equine leather—equine, meaning it’s produced from the hide of horses—used in high-end shoemaking. The Visigoths were a nomadic people, best known for sacking Rome in the early fifth century AD under the lead of King Alaric, author of the phrase: “the thicker the hay, the easier mowed,” which strikes one as the sort of thing a barbarian king, and perhaps only a barbarian king, might say. Made from fibrous, flat connective tissue, the leather derives its name from the city of Cordoba, Spain, which the Visigoths ruled over from the fifth to the eighth centuries AD, and where they first produced the leather. Cordovan is exceptionally durable. Horse-hide is naturally resistant to water, and cordovan retains that characteristic, while remaining stretch-resistant as well. Instead of creasing, cordovan ripples, which means that the leather remains smooth after years of use.
The tanning of cordovan is quite complicated, requiring over a hundred processes and over six months of labor to produce a usable hide. Two months of the tanning process is spent seasoning the hides in “pits” filled with tree bark and resins, juiced into a tanning solution, which breaks the hide down, softening the fibres so that they will make for comfortable footwear. Once the tanning process is complete, the hides are polished and colored by hand. Nick Horween, president of the company that does the tanning for Alden Cordovan Shoes talks about a process called ‘hot stuffing’: “Hot stuffing is […] technically part of a retanning process where we reintroduce fats/greases/oils to nourish the fibers of the skin. The retanning process is responsible for most of the leather characteristics in terms of tactile and other sensory qualities (look, feel, smell). For hot stuffing we start by steam-heating wooden drums, add retanned or veg tanned leather, and add a special blend of greases, waxes, and oils [that] are pounded into the skins by the tumbling action of the heated mills.”
Cordovan leather is a special material, and cordovan shoes are unrivaled in quality. Sherman Brothers sells a number of Alden cordovan shoes made specifically for our stores, including a limited edition Norwegian Toe 6” Boot with a Goodyear welt and steel shank (only eighteen pairs made!), and a Cap Toe Boot with Commando Sole. We also sell a general line of Alden cordovan shoes that includes a Cap Toe Bal Oxford, a Monk Strap Slip On, a Medallion Tip Blucher, and much else.
The Alden Shoe company was founded in 1884, in Middleborough, Massachusetts. It combined the best of classic New England craftsmanship with all that the Industrial Revolution had to offer—resulting in a brand with quality products, and consistency that was second-to-none. Nowadays, over a century since its founding, Alden continues to prosper by producing high-quality dress shoes, as well as orthopedic and medical footwear. Alden is the only original New England shoe maker remaining. Still a family-owned business, it carries forward a tradition of genuine-welted shoemaking that is exceptional in every way. We at Sherman Brothers are proud to sell Alden Shoes.
