KREOSOTE

J.D. Gabbard founded the company under the name MYG HANDMADE in 2015. The business adopted the KREOSOTE name in 2020. Gabbard previously worked as a fine art photographer before learning bootmaking in a Texas cobbler shop. He operates the workshop alone and produces a small number of boots each year. Each pair requires between 50 and 100 hours to complete.

J.D. Gabbard constructs each KREOSOTE boot by hand. He uses both European and American shoemaking techniques. The process includes hand-cutting the leather, hand-dyeing, and assembling each part himself without any assistants.

KREOSOTE boots use materials sourced from suppliers in the United States. The company selects full-grain, vegetable-tanned leather from tanneries such as Wickett & Craig of Pennsylvania. Construction methods include hand-welting, hand-sewn outsoles, and the addition of metal shanks for support.

KREOSOTE offers several limited-edition boot models made to customer measurements. One model, the KREOSOTE-7, draws inspiration from 1930s boots and uses hand-dyed harness leather with a 7-inch shaft. Another model, called NINE dITCHES-FLESH, features rough-out leather and a 5-inch shaft. The FiCTioN-bLACk boot measures 11 inches and includes a backstay with cubical sewn shapes. Customers must submit detailed foot measurements, and the waiting period for orders may reach up to 48 months.