arPrior to and during the earliest phase of the Industrial Revolution, work on shoes was principally divided into the efforts of two sorts of craftsmen:

• Cordwainers (who made new shoes from new leather; later simply called "shoemakers") 

• Cobblers (who repaired shoes)

As craft specialization took hold in this field, another term was also in use:

• Shoebinders (who stitched the parts of a shoe together before the sole was nailed on)