Craft & Glory

Maker

About

Craft & Glory is an Indian footwear manufacturer founded in April 2017 by Rohit Anand and Nitika Anand, specializing in hand-welted leather boots and shoes produced in Gurgaon. The company creates heritage-inspired footwear using full-grain buffalo leather sourced from Leather Working Group certified tanneries, with construction methods emphasizing traditional craftsmanship and durability.

The brand began by producing leather bags before transitioning to footwear production around 2022. Design inspiration draws from classic American workwear, early 20th-century military service boots, and vintage logger boots. Each boot is handcrafted by a single artisan following a made-to-order production model with approximately 2.5-week lead times.

Craft & Glory operates on a philosophy centered on creating rugged, durable goods capable of withstanding demanding terrain while developing natural patina through extended wear. The company's product line includes ranger boots, moc toe boots, chelsea boots, and derby shoes, all featuring hand-stitched construction and traditional materials.

History and founding

Rohit Anand and Nitika Anand established Craft & Glory in April 2017 in Gurgaon, India, initially focusing on handcrafted leather bags and accessories. The company's founding vision emerged from Rohit Anand's passion for rugged, vintage-inspired goods that could endure harsh conditions across varied terrain.

After several years producing leather goods, the founders expanded into footwear manufacturing around 2022, launching a line of hand-welted boots inspired by heritage work boot designs. This transition represented a strategic shift toward specialized footwear production while maintaining the brand's commitment to traditional construction methods and full-grain leather materials.

The company's location in Gurgaon, near Delhi, positions it within India's growing leather goods manufacturing sector while allowing access to skilled artisans trained in traditional boot-making techniques.

Manufacturing and production

Craft & Glory produces footwear through a hand-welted construction process, with each boot crafted entirely by a single artisan from start to finish. While the company markets its footwear as Goodyear welted, industry observers who have visited the workshop confirm the boots are actually hand-welted, a construction method requiring greater skill and typically associated with superior durability.

The manufacturing process begins with full-grain buffalo leather sourced exclusively from tanneries certified by the Leather Working Group. Buffalo leather provides enhanced durability compared to cowhide and addresses cultural considerations relevant to the Indian market. The company operates on a made-to-order production model, with typical lead times of approximately 2.5 weeks from order to shipping.

Construction features include steel shank reinforcement for structural support, semi-leather lining in the vamp and heel counters, and copper rivets reinforcing stress points in the vamp and quarters. Outsoles are hand-stitched using commando rubber, providing traction and wear resistance. Hardware components include brass fixtures selected for corrosion resistance and aesthetic consistency with vintage-inspired designs.

Materials and construction

Craft & Glory utilizes full-grain buffalo leather for boot uppers, selected for its exceptional durability and thick fiber structure. The leather undergoes hot-stuffing with waxes and oils during the tanning process, enhancing water resistance and promoting natural patina development. All leather is sourced from tanneries holding Leather Working Group certification, ensuring adherence to environmental and ethical standards in leather production.

Insoles and midsoles employ vegetable-tanned leather, a traditional material choice that molds to the wearer's foot over time while providing structural integrity. The vegetable tanning process uses natural plant-based tannins, resulting in leather that develops rich color variations with age and wear.

The hand-welted construction method involves stitching the upper, insole, and welt together by hand, creating a durable bond that allows for multiple resoles throughout the boot's lifetime. This construction technique differs from machine-based Goodyear welting in its execution while achieving similar structural benefits and longevity.

Additional materials include waxed canvas for specific applications, brass hardware throughout, and YKK components where applicable. Rubber outsoles are attached through hand stitching, with commando lug patterns featured on work boot styles.

Product lines

Ranger boots

The Ranger boot series draws design inspiration from work boots developed for mine and industrial workers in the early 1900s, which were subsequently adopted by military and naval forces during World War I and World War II as service boots. These boots feature classic toe cap panel stitching, hand-stitched commando rubber outsoles, and steel shank reinforcement.

Ranger boots are available in multiple heights and colorways, with construction emphasizing durability for demanding work environments. The toe cap design provides both structural reinforcement and aesthetic continuity with historical service boot patterns.

Moc toe boots

Craft & Glory's moc toe boot collection traces its design lineage to boots created for farmers and hunters in the early 1950s, with the 8-inch height variants specifically inspired by logger boots from the early 1900s. The characteristic moc toe stitching creates a reinforced toe box while maintaining the flexibility required for extended wear.

Available in 6-inch and 8-inch heights, moc toe models feature the same hand-welted construction and full-grain buffalo leather as other product lines. The taller 8-inch variants provide additional ankle support and protection, aligning with their logger boot heritage.

Additional footwear

The product range extends beyond work boot styles to include Chelsea boots with elastic side goring, long wing brogue boots combining formal styling with rugged construction, and Derby shoes offering a more refined aesthetic while maintaining the brand's construction standards. Engineer boots and monkey boots round out the collection, providing options for customers seeking specific vintage workwear styles.

All product lines share common construction methods, material choices, and the made-to-order production approach that characterizes Craft & Glory's manufacturing philosophy.