Solovair
Encyclopedia
Solovair is a brand of British
-made boot
s and footwear
, produced by NPS Shoes Ltd., which was established in 1881. NPS is based in Wellingborough
, Northamptonshire
, an area known for its shoe
industry. NPS shoes are known for their goodyear welt technology and use it in all their shoe production, this particular technique is needed to fix the Solovair sole onto "Soft Sole Suspension" boots and shoes. Shoe manufacturer R. Griggs Group Ltd. had the patent to produce Dr.Marten boots but not the technology so in 1960 Griggs and NPS collaborated to create a boot using a Solovair sole and a Griggs boot, the result was the now iconic Dr. Marten boot. The first pair leaving the NPS factory in 1960. NPS Shoes continued to make Dr. Marten boots and shoes under licence until the mid 90's. They patented the name Solovair in 1995 and now make their own air cushioned boot using the same lasts and leather cutters and machines used to create the first original Dr. Marten suspension soles in the UK.
Solovair and Tredair
are some of the few remaining manufacturers of leather
boots in the United Kingdom
, although the products are hard to find, largely due to distribution issues. They have become popular among punks
and skinhead
s seeking British-made boots, after Dr. Martens moved their main production to China
in 2003.
Solovair do not sell their products directly and have no independent outlets, one of the few internet sites that sell a range of classic Solovair products from their vintage range is the Air Cushion Boot Company, a small family run business, exclusively selling Solovair since 1973.
In 2005 British Boot Company
became the main agent for Solovair in the United Kingdom. In their shop in Camden
they carry about one hundred different Solovair styles, most of them exclusively made for The British Boot Company. In their shop you can also find English made Grinders made under license by the NPS factory in Northamptonshire.
Solovair products come in a variety of styles, colours, and number of eyelets. Recognisable features include orange or yellow stitching around the top of the sole, and a green and black tag at the top of the heel with the Solovair logo and "Soft Sole Suspension" on the back. The bottom of the sole has the Solovair logo. Otherwise, they look like standard AirWair-style boots.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-made boot
Boot
A boot is a type of footwear but they are not shoes. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle and extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece....
s and footwear
Footwear
Footwear consists of garments worn on the feet, for fashion, protection against the environment, and adornment. Being barefoot is commonly associated with poverty, but some cultures chose not to wear footwear at least in some situations....
, produced by NPS Shoes Ltd., which was established in 1881. NPS is based in Wellingborough
Wellingborough
Wellingborough is a market town and borough in Northamptonshire, England, situated some from the county town of Northampton. The town is situated on the north side of the River Nene, most of the older town is sited on the flanks of the hills above the river's current flood plain...
, Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, an area known for its shoe
Shoe
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function...
industry. NPS shoes are known for their goodyear welt technology and use it in all their shoe production, this particular technique is needed to fix the Solovair sole onto "Soft Sole Suspension" boots and shoes. Shoe manufacturer R. Griggs Group Ltd. had the patent to produce Dr.Marten boots but not the technology so in 1960 Griggs and NPS collaborated to create a boot using a Solovair sole and a Griggs boot, the result was the now iconic Dr. Marten boot. The first pair leaving the NPS factory in 1960. NPS Shoes continued to make Dr. Marten boots and shoes under licence until the mid 90's. They patented the name Solovair in 1995 and now make their own air cushioned boot using the same lasts and leather cutters and machines used to create the first original Dr. Marten suspension soles in the UK.
Solovair and Tredair
Tredair
Tredair is a brand of British-made footwear produced by White & Co., a shoe design company in Northamptonshire. The company, established as a factory from 1890 to 2003 making classic men's footwear, sports footwear, cricketing shoes, utility footwear to government specification during the early...
are some of the few remaining manufacturers of leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
boots in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, although the products are hard to find, largely due to distribution issues. They have become popular among punks
Punk subculture
The punk subculture includes a diverse array of ideologies, and forms of expression, including fashion, visual art, dance, literature, and film, which grew out of punk rock.-History:...
and skinhead
Skinhead
A skinhead is a member of a subculture that originated among working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, and then spread to other parts of the world. Named for their close-cropped or shaven heads, the first skinheads were greatly influenced by West Indian rude boys and British mods,...
s seeking British-made boots, after Dr. Martens moved their main production to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in 2003.
Solovair do not sell their products directly and have no independent outlets, one of the few internet sites that sell a range of classic Solovair products from their vintage range is the Air Cushion Boot Company, a small family run business, exclusively selling Solovair since 1973.
In 2005 British Boot Company
British Boot Company
The British Boot Company is a shoe shop in Camden Town in London famous for being the first retailer in the world to sell Dr. Martens footwear in 1958....
became the main agent for Solovair in the United Kingdom. In their shop in Camden
London Borough of Camden
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century...
they carry about one hundred different Solovair styles, most of them exclusively made for The British Boot Company. In their shop you can also find English made Grinders made under license by the NPS factory in Northamptonshire.
Solovair products come in a variety of styles, colours, and number of eyelets. Recognisable features include orange or yellow stitching around the top of the sole, and a green and black tag at the top of the heel with the Solovair logo and "Soft Sole Suspension" on the back. The bottom of the sole has the Solovair logo. Otherwise, they look like standard AirWair-style boots.