Jan Matzeliger is a name you probably don’t know, but he invented something that produces what you definitely use everyday- shoes! Jan was not content with the way shoes were made at the time, so he set out to invent a machine that would do the work of several people. After years of trial and error, Jan finally created a machine that could lastingly affix the upper part of a shoe to its sole. With this invention, Jan revolutionized the shoe industry and changed the way we wear shoes forever. So next time you slip on your sneakers, take a moment to think about Jan Matzeliger and his incredible invention.
African Giant Jan Matzeliger revolutionized the shoe industry with his invention of the machine that designs and reduces the production cost and time of shoes. The patent office he applied to couldn’t believe that the machine could take the place of a shoe laster, but Matzeliger’s invention did just that. Thanks to his invention, a pair of shoes became affordable for many people. Matzeliger’s invention helped to create a mass market for shoes and made the shoe industry what it is today.
Prior to Jan Matzeliger’s invention, a fast and skilled hand laster could only sew up to 60 pairs of shoes a day. For hundreds of years, the hand laster has held a special place in the footwear factory. Without their skill and experience, shoes would simply fall apart. But since the hand laster could only sew 60 pairs of shoes a day, this made shoes very expensive, and only the rich could afford them. The Gordon McKay which later became known as the Shoemakers’ Company was held in high esteem and controlled the market price. With Matzeliger’s invention, 700 pairs of shoes could be designed and produced per day. This made shoes affordable, and the Shoemakers’ Company lost its grip on the market.
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Jan Matzeliger was born in Suriname in 1852 and was trained as a cabinet maker, but he was fascinated by the process of making shoes. In 1872, he immigrated to the United States, where he began working in a shoe factory. He quickly realized that the existing machinery was inefficient and time-consuming. His machine would have to quickly and easily pull the upper leather over the last, so reducing the time taken for this stage of production as well as the cost involved.
After several years of experimentation, by 1880, Jan Matzeliger had built a model of his machine from elastic cigar boxes, wood, scrap wire, nails, and paper. However, when he first invented the machine, he was unable to bring himself to sell it. He felt that it was his baby and selling it would be like giving up a part of himself. Later on, he partnered with two investors and sold 66% of his devices. This allowed him to keep control of a part of his invention while still making money off of it.
Matzeliger’s device was so complex that patent examiners made a request to see it in operation to understand it. After the inspection by representative Lynn, Massachusetts, the United States issued a patient to Jan Matizeliger for his “Lasting Machine” invention on March 1883.
Unfortunately, Matzeliger did not live long to enjoy his hard work. He was affected with tuberculosis in 1886 and died on August 24, 1889, at the early age of 37. Although his life was short-lived, his invention has created more job opportunities and made high-quality shoes affordable for many. Thanks to the African Giant, the US postal stamp was also issued in his honour on September 15, 1991
