The Zephyr Comes Blowing In!
Zephyr: A gentle breeze from the west, derived from Zephyrus, the Greek God of the West Wind.
Feel that chill in the air? We’re thrilled to bring you our own version of a light west wind, blowing straight out of Colorado and carrying comfort with it. Meet the Zephyr, a two-toned blue beauty that was made for relaxing.
We are always excited when we get to introduce a new model. Not only are we pleased to have more color in our day to day life, but a new model often means new feet! Reaching more people and serving more feet is one of our favorite things! There are so many different styles and tastes in the world and we are thankful to be expanding our offerings to meet more of them.
Sharing Our "Made in USA"
We had a blast hosting Manufacturing Day last month. While we frequently offer tours, it was a treat to invite the public for a more in depth look at modern day shoemaking. We had good discussions about the challenges of manufacturing in the USA as well as the impact automation can have on the shoe industry. With the highlight on specific processes of shoemaking, it also meant some of our team spent time in the spotlight. In one of our favorite photos of the day, you can see Seamstress Shayna sharing her craft.
It’s a joy to be able to share what “Made in America” looks like in our Colorado shoe factory. We have another chance to celebrate American manufacturing this month as we join other Montrose area companies for an expo of manufacturing in our region. Thanks to the Montrose Economic Development Corporation for taking the time to recognize when made in USA means made in your backyard.
Bring a Smile to Your Feet in More Ways Than One
Now we’re not ones for bringing up Christmas so close to Halloween, but we know some of you like to take care of your holiday shopping early, so we wanted to give you a head’s up! We’ve teamed up with SOS Socks again to bring you yet another way to keep your feet cozy throughout the season.
Declaring your “Happy Toes” with a comfy pair of socks is a great way to start any day. Made of merino wool and cut above the ankle, they’re a great option to keep your feet warm and dry throughout the season—not to mention keeping your toes happy as well. We keep a limited amount of socks (of both styles) in stock, so if you are looking for a stocking stuffer, check them out.
Thankful for the SOM Team
As we reflect on our what we’re thankful for this season, the list is a long one as usual. From good customers, to overcoming challenges, to a really great mailman (thanks Vic!), we could go on and on. This year we’d like to focus our gratitude on the great team members that we have inside our factory.
One of the things we love about being American made is that we have our whole team under that one roof everyday. We get to know and support each other as real individuals, not to mention using birthdays as an excuse to have cake.
We are in a position to recognize and value everyone’s contributions—and those contributions are many!
Having our entire team in one place means that everyone is involved in all the steps of shoemaking. We’re not talking strictly cross-training, either (and believe us, it is for the good of your shoes that those behind the computer do not get behind the sewing machine). When there is a challenge with a particular manufacturing step, our entire team is welcome to review the issue, ask questions, and offer potential solutions.
How product photos really happen!
Having a seamstress review the nesting of our patterns for various fabrics helps keep our waste minimal. Having a customer service representative bring up specific customer comments influences the design process. Having a culture that encourages discussion keeps our viewpoints varied. And our shoemaker gets to stay involved every step of the way.
Being close and involved really fosters innovation among our team—and that makes for not only a better shoe but also a pretty cool work environment. And for that, we are thankful year round.
Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving and a calm start to your holiday season!
