HRH The Princess Royal visited Edward Green’s Northampton factory on 29 October, shining a spotlight on the enduring tradition of British shoemaking and its contemporary export success.

During her visit, Her Royal Highness viewed a pair of her own lasts, which had originally been made for her in the 1990s. The family-owned company employs 60 shoemakers in Northampton, globally recognised as a centre of excellence. 80% of production is exported with key markets including Japan, Italy and the US, which has seen 45% year-on-year growth.

Her Royal Highness toured the workshop seeing the range of skills involved, from the age-old handwork of intricately sewing a shoe upper with a boar bristle, to the modern craftsmanship of developing shoe patterns on CAD software. HRH The Princess Royal is President of the UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT), which promotes British manufacturing and often visits across the country.

“We are honoured to welcome Her Royal Highness to our workshop,” said Managing Director Hilary Freeman. “This visit recognises not only Edward Green’s commitment to traditional craftsmanship but the enduring strength of Northampton’s shoemaking heritage.”

The Northampton workshop continues the tradition established by founder Edward Green in 1890, who set out to preserve excellence in English shoemaking. Today, 200 pairs are completed each week, maintaining the founder’s promise of “excellence without compromise.”

Founded in 1890, Edward Green is a Northampton-based shoemaker employing over 60 craftspeople to produce Goodyear welted footwear exported worldwide.

Edward Green shoes are crafted using the finest materials with exceptional handcraft. Upper leathers are selected to age gracefully, with many featuring the company’s signature antiquing process that creates unusual depth and character. The workshop produces around 8,000 pairs annually, each made to last decades. Many shoes return for resoling and refurbishment, testament to their enduring construction.

Clients have included Ernest Hemingway, Cole Porter and Ralph Lauren, alongside leaders in business and the arts. Edward Green operates flagship stores on London’s Jermyn Street and Paris’s boulevard Saint-Germain, while selling through leading international retailers including Isetan in Tokyo, Leffot in New York, Unipair in Seoul, and Mr Porter online.

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Edward Green is a member of UKFT. Click here for more information on the UKFT membership.