Doc martens

[heretoday]

Is it possible to get a pair of Doc Martens shoes these days that haven't been made in the Far East by slave labour?

Edinburgh sure doesn't have any. I have tried all the usual outlets.

Mind you - a glance at the lining of Clarks, Hush Puppies and Cats reveal a similar story. Made in Thailand or similar.

Has British shoe manufacturing just disappeared or what? :confused:

[marinello59]

Docs are not made in the UK any more, they shifted production abroad a couple of years back. There is a shop in Aberdeen that still had UK made stock last year. Probably all gone now though.

[discman]

Is it possible to get a pair of Doc Martens shoes these days that haven't been made in the Far East by slave labour?

Edinburgh sure doesn't have any. I have tried all the usual outlets.

Mind you - a glance at the lining of Clarks, Hush Puppies and Cats reveal a similar story. Made in Thailand or similar.

Has British shoe manufacturing just disappeared or what? :confused:

Alive and well and living in Northampton, cost ya though, Churches Loakes etc fantastic shoes and thats reflected in the price!

Have you tried the shop just passed John Knoxs house on the High Street cant remember their name worth a look though :greengrin

[.Sean.]

If you're after a pair of boots, look no further than a pair of suede desert boots from Clarks. Certainly the shrewdest investment i've made in a while.

[hibbill2002]

I got a pair last week but there was only 1 lace in the box...
they had Taiwan written inside.:wink:

[Hillsidehibby]

Alive and well and living in Northampton, cost ya though, Churches Loakes etc fantastic shoes and thats reflected in the price!

Have you tried the shop just passed John Knoxs house on the High Street cant remember their name worth a look though :greengrin

Ah, Barnet Footwear where many a schemie in the 70's bought their DM's.

You had to have a quick look outside and then run like **** in case there were any unsavoury types waiting outside to relieve you of them.:greengrin

[Removed]

Ah, Barnet Footwear where many a schemie in the 70's bought their DM's.

You had to have a quick look outside and then run like **** in case there were any unsavoury types waiting outside to relieve you of them.:greengrin

Not all of us were schemies :wink:

Takes me back though. We used to have different lace colours depending on where we came from :greengrin

[Betty Boop]

Is it possible to get a pair of Doc Martens shoes these days that haven't been made in the Far East by slave labour?

Edinburgh sure doesn't have any. I have tried all the usual outlets.

Mind you - a glance at the lining of Clarks, Hush Puppies and Cats reveal a similar story. Made in Thailand or similar.

Has British shoe manufacturing just disappeared or what? :confused:

Dr. Martens Cobbs Lane Factory is apparently still open.

http://www.vincesiragusodc.com/dr-martens-cobbs-lane-factory-visit

[degenerated]

Alive and well and living in Northampton, cost ya though, Churches Loakes etc fantastic shoes and thats reflected in the price!


they may cost but nothing beats a well crafted shoe, i spent a fair bit on a pair of Grenson brogues and they are well worth the money :agree:

[Dashing Bob S]

they may cost but nothing beats a well crafted shoe, i spent a fair bit on a pair of Grenson brogues and they are well worth the money :agree:

House of Windsor? Do something useful for a change and knight that man! :top marks

[heretoday]

If you're after a pair of boots, look no further than a pair of suede desert boots from Clarks. Certainly the shrewdest investment i've made in a while.

I will. Thank you.

[Mixu62]

Alive and well and living in Northampton, cost ya though, Churches Loakes etc fantastic shoes and thats reflected in the price!

Have you tried the shop just passed John Knoxs house on the High Street cant remember their name worth a look though :greengrin

Do Slaters on George St still stock Loake? Got a pair of boots there about 7 years ago and they're still going strong.

[heretoday]

Do Slaters on George St still stock Loake? Got a pair of boots there about 7 years ago and they're still going strong.

Loakes are good shoes but I looked at a pair in Debenhams (yes) the other day and they were made in India. They looked very comfy mind.

[J-C]

Have you tried the Army store down leith near Brunswick Rd, think it's changed it's name but it's still there.

[degenerated]

does anyone remembe the Major Domo's copies of DM boots, never had them myself as i always stuck rigidly to DM boots, but they looked just about the same.
I threw out my DM's just before Christmas as after over 10 years service they were letting the water in a bit and realised it's probably the first time since the late 70's that i haven't had a pair in my possession.

[RyeSloan]

Is it possible to get a pair of Doc Martens shoes these days that haven't been made in the Far East by slave labour?

Edinburgh sure doesn't have any. I have tried all the usual outlets.

Mind you - a glance at the lining of Clarks, Hush Puppies and Cats reveal a similar story. Made in Thailand or similar.

Has British shoe manufacturing just disappeared or what? :confused:

Does it necessarily correlate that because they are made in the far east then they are produced by 'slave labour'?

Is there a difference between Doc Martins made in the UK and those made elsewhere?

[marinello59]

]does anyone remembe the Major Domo's copies of DM boots, never had them myself as i always stuck rigidly to DM boots, but they looked just about the same. [/B]
I threw out my DM's just before Christmas as after over 10 years service they were letting the water in a bit and realised it's probably the first time since the late 70's that i haven't had a pair in my possession.

Yes. :greengrin
The soles were pretty good. The toes on the shoe were a bit more square shaped though IIRC.

[marinello59]

Dr. Martens Cobbs Lane Factory is apparently still open.

http://www.vincesiragusodc.com/dr-martens-cobbs-lane-factory-visit

How time flies. Googled that and UK production stopped in 2003. (I thought it was just two or three years ago.) But they started making the classic brands again in the UK in 2007. Most shoes still made in the far east though.

[heretoday]

Does it necessarily correlate that because they are made in the far east then they are produced by 'slave labour'?

Is there a difference between Doc Martins made in the UK and those made elsewhere?

According to a shoe repairer in Bruntsfield, complaints re Doc Martens have escalated in recent years and this is because the technology used to make the shoes out east is different from that in Northampton where they were made before.

I have noticed the DM website now says "Made in England" next to certain items but they are over £100 a pair! They seem a bit reticent about the Far East connection.

I think I'll just get a pair of Loakes before this threatens to become an obsession!:rolleyes:

[Phil D. Rolls]

Is it possible to get a pair of Doc Martens shoes these days that haven't been made in the Far East by slave labour?

Edinburgh sure doesn't have any. I have tried all the usual outlets.

Mind you - a glance at the lining of Clarks, Hush Puppies and Cats reveal a similar story. Made in Thailand or similar.

Has British shoe manufacturing just disappeared or what? :confused:

I saw a thing on the telly yesterday that said Chinese tourists had made Street in Somerset a top destination in the UK. It is the home of Clarks shoes, and they can buy them 30% cheaper there than in China, as there is no import duty.

[One Day Soon]

As in most things you get what you pay for where shoes are concerned. I no longer own a pair of DMs but this thread has put the thought in my head...

Anyway I see that someone mentioned Slaters earlier. I deeply regret that Smith's menswear no longer exists as a choice in Edinburgh. Aside from the quality of the suits, they did a good line in footwear. Having said that I have both Loakes and Cheaney shoes which are almost impossible to destroy or disfigure despite years of use.

[heretoday]

Hmmm....just looked at the Cheaney website. They are really expensive shoes.

They are also really nice shoes. And they'll last so the value is inbuilt.

Que faire - as they say in Paris!

[Derek Dougan]

Hmmm....just looked at the Cheaney website. They are really expensive shoes.

They are also really nice shoes. And they'll last so the value is inbuilt.

Que faire - as they say in Paris!

Cheaney are fantastic, and well worth the money. Certain Loakes shoes, especially the Design range are made in India. Their classic 1880 range are still made in England.

Anyone looking to buy a pair of Cheaney or Loakes, PM me, might be able to arrange a small discount :wink:.

[ArabHibee]

Anyone know where you can get doc marten's stitched, that's in centre of town?

[Pete]

Jings, I didn't realise Doc Martins were regarded so highly.

I've had a set of seven eyelet steelies that I got from the work lying about since the mid-nineties and they were going to go in a charity bag if I'd got round to finding them.

I've only worn them about ten times so they're in pretty good nick.

However, I've noticed that the top of my boots aren't finished off. It's just like the leather has been cut in a raw fashion while the online pictures of Doc Martin boots have stitching at the top.

Is this the way all Doc martins were made back then or is it because my boots are somehow different because they were primarily safety boots and maybe cosmetics weren't an issue?

[degenerated]

Jings, I didn't realise Doc Martins were regarded so highly.

I've had a set of seven eyelet steelies that I got from the work lying about since the mid-nineties and they were going to go in a charity bag if I'd got round to finding them.

I've only worn them about ten times so they're in pretty good nick.

However, I've noticed that the top of my boots aren't finished off. It's just like the leather has been cut in a raw fashion while the online pictures of Doc Martin boots have stitching at the top.

Is this the way all Doc martins were made back then or is it because my boots are somehow different because they were primarily safety boots and maybe cosmetics weren't an issue?

the normal eight eyelet boot had the band stitched around the top whereas the longer ones were as you described, not that i have had the longer ones since i was a youth though so may have changed.

[easty]

What's the sizing like on Dr Martens, pretty standard or larger/smaller than other shoes?

I've saw a pair of Dr Martens brogues I want to order online, I could go try a pair of thier shoes on in town, but that seems like a lot more effort than pressing a few buttons on the internet.

[hibs0666]

Comfiest shoes/boots that I ever had were Oliver Sweeney - pretty expensive mind but lastest yonks.

Oliver Sweeney used to have a concession in Harvey Nicks but I think that's a goner now.

[ArabHibee]

What's the sizing like on Dr Martens, pretty standard or larger/smaller than other shoes?

I've saw a pair of Dr Martens brogues I want to order online, I could go try a pair of thier shoes on in town, but that seems like a lot more effort than pressing a few buttons on the internet.

Depends I think. Mr feet are a size 5. My black Doc Martens were a size 4 and my brown ones were a size 5. Would defo try them on somewhere before ordering online.