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888.236.9888
pr@otabo.com
Otabo, the fast growing bespoke shoe manufacturer, replaces the myth of standard sizing by offering fashion footwear sized using 3D scans of each customer's feet. Shoe designs are customized by the customer for silhouette, leather type, color, pattern details, ornaments, and outsoles. Leather outsoles can be monogrammed or branded with a personal message.
The company's unique state-of-the-art manufacturing process combines the best of traditional and modern shoemaking techniques – digital accuracy, detailed craftsmanship, the finest materials – to produce customized fine footwear.
The product line features fine men's shoes in approximately 40 base styles ranging from classic oxfords, wingtips, and loafers to casual hikers and trainers. The men's and women's Golf Collections, launched early 2007, are available in Otabo's signature German 18 month, oak-bark tanned leather soles ; digitally crafted using a fiber bonding technique that is stronger and more durable than traditional leather stitching. Each pair of golf shoes is outfitted with a set of removable cleats.
Signature details include premium leathers such as Italian calfskins, kangaroo, African sheepskin, and high-performance English tumbled leathers; plush full leather linings; custom contoured fiberglass shanks; precision stitching; water-jet cut details; and superior impact-absorbing outsoles. Exotic leathers are available upon request.
Prices for Otabo's custom fit shoes range from $350 to $2000. Fittings are available at select locations nationwide, and at weekly country club trunk shows.
Upcoming shoe collaborations include The KDU's SVSV bespoke line, and former Nike Creative Director Christopher Bevans 's namesake collection. Exclusive offerings are available to Chief Executive Air Private Jet Charter flyers.
For more information, please contact pr@otabo.com.
During a personalized evaluation, the customer is scanned using a three-dimensional imaging process that captures over 200,000 data points, replicating essential measurements from every possible angle. These data points are used to build true 3D digital models of each foot.
Each 3D foot scan is digitally and visually evaluated, with consideration given to the shape, size, proportions, dimensions and unique physical attributes including 20 some key measurements of each foot. The final fit of the shoe is determined based on the customer's personal preferences, such as preferred arch support, established during the in-store evaluation.
Once the customer's Fit Evaluation is completed, their style selection with design options is custom manufactured at Otabo's facility where state-of-the-art technology has combined the best of digital manufacturing and traditional shoemaking. For instance, while leathers are cut with a digital water-jet at 45,000 PSI , and sewn with automated precision stitching to achieve the ultimate in accuracy and consistency, they are still hand finished with lots of "elbow grease" for a deep protective finish.
From athletes to politicians to high-level executives, Otabo's unique process serves customers with a wide range of foot sizes, widths, fit and style needs. Every custom order of finely crafted shoes is personally crafted for the customers unique fit and personal style.
Said Shaffer, "Our goal is to make shoes that provide the best fit, are made to the highest standards of quality and craftsmanship, and are designed with style and personality."
EDUCATION
Shaffer started out as an engineering student at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania; then after four years in the Air Force (Vietnam War Vet) he went back to Rutgers, majoring in economics with a minor in Chinese; and finally a B.A. in business management from the University of Maryland (Asia Campus – Taiwan). He learned Chinese in the Air Force and then honed those language skills as a student at a Taiwan university.
In 1981 Shaffer moved to Beijing, China, opened Nike's office there and was the general manager in charge of its operation. His first responsibility was to learn the organizations and the players and “how things worked”. This could be considered “higher education”; Shaffer came away from this job with an exceptionally broad and practical understanding of the internal workings of China.
BUSINESS BEGINNINGS
Shaffer left Nike in 1985 to start his own business, as a shoe manufacturer in China. With his wife as a partner and co-worker, started one of the first foreign invested joint ventures in China – United Footwear. This factory was truly a pioneer in China's opening to foreign investment and subsequent economic growth. In 1986-7, United Footwear was the “banner factory” for investment in China, showing by example how light industry investment could lead the country's economic growth.
The Shaffer's grew their China business to a total of four shoe factories, a leather tannery and several auxiliary factories supplying components for our own production – to a capacity of more than 800,000 pairs of shoes per month, for customers such as: Adidas, Timberland, Candies, Hush Puppies, H.H. Brown, Rocky Boot, Stride Rite, Asics, Lotto… and of course, Nike.
TO THE PRESENT
After nearly 15 years of producing shoes in China, Shaffer began his move (of production and family) back to the United States in 1995. This started first with an experimental “super-automated” shoe assembly factory in south Florida, the goal of which was to compete head-to-head with Chinese shoe production. Although the factory worked exceptionally well, it failed at its goal – it was not possible to compete with China's $0.30 an hour wage rate and other advantages.
Shaffer then developed the concept of making custom fit shoes – on a large scale, similar to what he was used to in China – and has been working on that project since 1996. After nearly eight years of R&D, Otabo Custom Shoes were finally brought to market.
Howard currently resides in Hillsboro Beach, FL with his business partner and wife, Jennifer, who is Chief Operating Officer of Otabo.
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