Moonstar

Moonstar makes shoes in Kurume, a city in Kyushu, Japan, and has done since 1873. Kurume first prospered in the rubber industry, making jika-tabi, and Moonstar began as a tabi maker: traditional split-toed footwear with a rubber sole. That background led naturally to the vulcanised rubber sole canvas sneaker. Rivet & Hide describes a skilled craftsman attaching the upper to the outsole by hand, following the shape of the last, a step said to be impossible by machine. Each shoe is then fired in a kiln at 120°C for 70 minutes, which reacts the sulphur in the raw rubber and gives a soft, flexible, durable sole.