Råland Bootmaker

Adam Persson began his career as an apprentice at Bäckmans Skoservice in Stockholm. After six months, he was employed full-time as a cobbler and remained for five years, working primarily with welted shoes. Persson took a shoemaking course taught by Janne Melkersson of Melker Shoes, gaining experience in traditional handcrafting techniques. He later worked for Dimissianos & Miller in Greece before returning to Sweden.

Persson moved back to Kalmar, his hometown, about three years prior to March 2023. He ran his own cobbler business there but switched to bootmaking after finding cobbling less challenging. He then sold his cobbler shop, obtained new tools and machines, and established Råland Bootmaker.

Råland Bootmaker operates as a one-person workshop led by Adam Persson. Each pair of boots is made by hand, including the lasting, welting, and building of the heels. The outsoles are attached using a sewing machine.

Råland Bootmaker uses materials sourced from different European suppliers for its boots. For example, the engineer boots use horsebutt leather from the Maryam tannery in Italy, insoles from Garat in France, and oak bark tanned outsoles from Gerberei Martin in Germany. Additional components include Dr. Sole heels and Vibram sole parts.

Råland Bootmaker produces several types of handcrafted boots. The George Boots are based on a British military uniform design from 1951 and are made from vegetable-tanned horsehide from Maryam Tannery, featuring hand-welting, hand-lasting, Vibram rubber heels, rubber half soles, and an unstructured toe box. The Engineer Boots are also hand-lasted and hand-welted, constructed from Maryam horsebutt leather with components including Garat insoles, Gerberei Martin outsoles, Dr. Sole heels, and Vibram sole parts. The company produces bespoke women's Chelsea boots made to individual specifications. Råland Bootmaker has partnered with the Swedish retailer Second Sunrise to introduce a ready-to-wear engineer boot crafted from Maryam horsebutt leather.