Our Process

Our Process

Every step of our shoemaking process comes from our hand & our heart.

While many shoemakers can create the beautiful uppers (the top-leather part of the shoes), it’s very rare to find shoemakers who know how to make leather outsoles and understand shoe structures.

In addition to our stylish uppers, each shoe is made with hand-cut outsoles, a layer of arch support, and a layer of memory foam that creates a durable, comfortable, and stylish leather shoe.

Our shoe anatomy creates the perfect balance of form, fit, and function.

[image of shoe anatomy]

or video of shoe anatomy

[insoles + extra padding photos?]

At the foundation of each shoe is a leather insole, a bed of padding for comfort, and layers of leather stacked together to create the perfect heel.

Our high-quality outsoles are hand-cut, handmade, and designed to be resole-able. We hand-skive the edges of the uppers and leathers of the outsole to reduce the thickness of the leather. This helps prevent unnecessary overlapping when we attach outsole to the shoe.

[leather skiving video]

[photo of last]

In shoemaking, the last comes first.

To have comfortable, long-lasting shoes, you need a good last.

Emai started as Swing Love because I wanted to craft shoes for dancers to wear all night and day.

The heart that kept Swing Love alove has evolved into Emai, a direct-to-consumer shoemaking workshop that keeps your feet feeling Êm Ái (comfortable) all day & night.

[photo of shoes — final product]