SOUND
SOUND AND
SOUND AND HEAR WHAT IT TAKES TO JAM WITH THE LEGENDS. >>> FIRST TONIGHT, THE LL BEAN
BOOT.
IT IS READY TO NOT ONLY TAKE
ORDERS BUT SHIP OUT.
>> WE WANTED TO KNOW THE REAL
STORY BEHIND THE BEAN BOOT.
AND HOW IT'S GROWN FROM THE
VERY FIRST MAIN HUNTING SHOE IN
1911.
>>> THE LL BEAN MANUFACTURING
FACILITY IN BRUNSWICK IS
GETTING AHEAD OF ITS EXPECTED
ORDERS FOR BOOTS.
SINCE THE EARLY 1990s, THE BEAN
BOOT HAS SEEN ITS POPULARITY
EBB AND FLOW.
>> FASHION FINDS THE BEAN BOOT
FROM TIME TO TIME.
WE KEEP MAKING IT BECAUSE
PEOPLE KEEP WEARING IT AND KEEP
USING IT.
BUT IT CERTAINLY DOES FIND ITS
FAME HERE AND THERE.
WE DON'T CHASE THOSE TRENDS.
>> IN FACT, THAT WAS NEVER
L.L.'S GOAL, WHEN DESIGNING THE
VERY FIRST MAIN HUNTING SHOE.
>> LL BEAN CAME BACK FROM ONE
OF HIS MAIN HUNTING TRIPS, WITH
WELT COLD FEET.
AND HE WAS DETERMINE -- WET
COLD FEET.
AND HE WAS DETERMINED NOT TO
HAVE TO GO IN WITH WET COLD
FEET.
HE CAME UP WITH THIS BRILLIANT
IDEA TO TAKE THE WATERPROOF
NATURE OF A RUBBER BOOT, BUT
AFFIX IT TO THE FLEXIBLE,
SUPPORTIVE, MUCH MORE SNUG
FITTING UPPER OF A LEATHER
BOOT.
>> HERE'S THE THING.
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
THE HUNTING SHOE AND THE BEAN
BOOT.
THE HUNTING SHOE HAS A SOFT,
FLEXIBLE SOLE THAT ALLOWS THE
HUNTER TO FEEL THE GROUND
THEY'RE WALKING ON.
BUT WHAT MOST CUSTOMERS BUY
TODAY IS THE ALL-PURPOSE BEAN
BOOT, WITH WATER RESISTANT
LEATHER AND A STRONGER RUBBER
SOLE.
>> IT'S A VERY POPULAR BOOT.
SORT OF STARTING ESPECIALLY IN
THE FALL AND ALL THE WAY
THROUGH THE WINTER.
>> Reporter: LL BEAN THIS YEAR
IS GOING TO MAKE 700,000 PARIS
OF BEAN BOOTS.
THAT'S 3,800 PER DAY.
MAKE THAT 3,801, BECAUSE WE ARE
MAKING A PAIR.
>> IT'S KIND OF LIKE A JET
TAKING OFF.
>> FOR THAT, I'VE ENLISTED THE
HELP OF SARAH MOTSKA.
SHE CREATES THE PATTERN TO MAKE
IT WORK ON ALL OF THESE
MACHINES.
>> FOR ONE PAIR OF BOOTS, WE
NEED TWO OF THESE, TWO OF
THESE, TWO OF THESE, AND TWO OF
EACH SIDE OF THIS ONE.
SO WE HAVE THE RIGHT AND THE
LEFT.
>> OKAY.
>> YEAH.
>> DYES ARE -- DIES ARE SIZED
OUT.
AND THE BOOTS ARE CUT BY HAND,
ENSURING THERE ARE NO
BLEMISHES.
>> PUSH AT THE SAME TIME.
>> THAT WAS EASY.
>> A FEW MORE TO PATTERN OUT MY
BOOTS.
AND WE'RE READY TO MOVE ONTO
THE NEXT STATION.
>> FOR 50 REASONS THEY DON'T
LET ME YIELD TO THE HATCHET.
>> NOR DO THEY WANT ME TOUCHING
THE SEWING MACHINE.
BUT THIS IS WHERE DETAILS GET
INTRICATE ANYWAY.
>> FOR THIS CLASSIC STYLE,
THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY SEVEN
STITCHING STEPS, WHEREAS LIKE
IF YOU'RE GOING OVER TO THE
SHEERLING AREA, THERE COULD BE
ANYWHERE FROM 13 TO 16
STITCHING FUNCTIONS BEFORE WE
GET TO THE COMPLETE BOOT.
>> Reporter: REST ASSURED THESE
WORKERS KNOW WHAT THEY'RE
DOING.
THEY SEE A LOT OF BOOTS.
>> THERE'S SO MUCH SKILL
INVOLVED, THAT PEOPLE DON'T
EVEN REALIZE.
AND EVERY SINGLE STEP HAS TO BE
FOLLOWED TO A TEE, IN ORDER TO
GIVE US THAT SAME BOOT THAT WE
WANT EVERY TIME THAT MAKES OUR
CUSTOMERS HAPPY.
>> WE CONTINUE TO ALLOW THE
PROFESSIONALS TO TAKE OVER AT
THE EYELET MACHINE.
>> ALL RIGHT, NICK.
WE GOT A RUSH PAIR FOR YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT.
>> PERFECT JOB.
THANK YOU.
>> NO PROBLEM.
>> AND AGAIN, AT THE CEMENTING
STATION.
>> THIS IS WHERE WE MERRY UP --
MARRY UP THE BOOT BOTTOM WITH
THE UPPER.
AND THE FIRST STEP IS TO
CEMENT.
AND THEN WE'LL LAY THESE TOPS
DOWN AND STITCH THEM TOGETHER.
WE'LL TAKE THEM OVER HERE AND
PASS THEM RIGHT OFF.
>> I'LL TAKE IT OFF FOR YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANKS.
>> SHE COATS EACH EDGE WITH
THAT RUBBER CEMENT MATERIAL.
AND IT GIVES A CHANCE TO DRY,
GOES THROUGH THE DRYER.
AND THAT MAKES IT EASIER TO LAY
THAT TOP DOWN AND GET IT IN
JUST THE RIGHT SPOT FOR
STITCHING.
AND IT ALSO HELPS SEAL THAT
TOGETHER.
SO IT'S REALLY NICE.
AND PERMANENT.
>> WAIT.
WE NEED BOTTOMS.
>> SO THIS IS WHERE IT ALL
BEGINS.
>> WHAT?
THESE ARE THE SOLES OF BEAN
BOOTS?
>> THEY'RE LIKE LITTLE BEADS.
THEY'RE LITTLE RUBBER PELLETS.
YOU CAN CHECK THOSE OUT IF YOU
WANT TO.
>> YEAH.
>> THESE GET SUCKED UP HERE AND
MELTED DOWN AND THAT GETS
INJECTED INTO OUR BEAN BOOT
MOLD.
>> SO THIS IS ACTUAL BEAN BOOT.
IN ITS EARLIEST FORM.
>> THE SEEDS OF THE BOOT.
>> YEP.
>> ONCE THE SOLE IS CREATED,
THE LOGO OF AUTHENTICITY IS
ATTACHED.
>> NOW, PUSH THESE TWO DOWN.
PERFECT.
>> THERE IT IS.
>> ANDY, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THEN OUR TWO HALVES BECOME A
WHOLE.
ALSO A PROCESS THAT NEEDS TO BE
DONE BY HAND TO ENSURE
ACCURACY.
>> THIS IS A PAINSTAKING
PROCESS.
WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE
DOING.
>> IT GETS MUCH EASIER, THE
MORE YOU DO IT.
>> OKAY, VAM PIRE.
-- VAM VAMPIRE.
I'M READY.
I THINK.
IS THAT ALL RIGHT?
>> YOU WATCH HIM DO THAT,
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE DO THAT
NEXT.
>> YEAH, RIGHT.
>> ONCE WE STUFF A LINER IN,
THERE'S JUST ONE MORE STEP.
PACKAGING.
WHERE HE WIPES DOWN EVERY
SINGLE BOOT BEFORE IT LEAVES
THE BUILDING.
>> IT'S THE RIGHT KIND OF INNER
SOLE IN THE BOOT.
DID YOU STUFF THESE?
>> THAT ONE IS MESSED UP.
>> WE STUFF, WRAP, PACK AND
WE'RE DONE.
>> THE FACT THAT WE'VE ALWAYS
MADE IT HERE IN MAINE, THE SAME
ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND QUALITY
CRAFTSMANSHIP HAS CARRIED IT
FOR NEARLY 107 YEARS.
IS REALLY WHY PEOPLE COME BACK
TO IT AS SUCH A GREAT,
TRADITIONAL OUTDOOR PIECE OF
FOOTWEAR.
>> AND WHEN THE TOUGH STARTS TO
WEAR, MANY SEND THE BOOTS BACK
FOR A LITTLE TLC.
BOOTS PASS DOWN FROM PREVIOUS
GENERATIONS, EACH WITH ITS OWN
STORY, THAT OFTEN COMES
DELIVERED WITH THE BOOT.
>> WHETHER YOU'RE BUYING THE
ORIGINAL MAINE HUNTING SHOE TO
GO OUT IN THE WOODS IN MAINE
AND HUNT, WHICH IS WHAT IT WAS
INVENTED FOR.
OR WHETHER YOU'RE BUYING A BEAN
BOOT, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING OUT
SLEDDING WITH YOUR KIDS.
REALLY, THE THREAD IS BEING
OUTSIDE.
>> OKAY, ROB.
I WAS SHOWING -- THEY'RE NOT
THE BEST -- THEY'RE NOT
PERFECT.
BUT THE SEAL IS A LITTLE ROUGH
ON THEM.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I
THOUGHT WAS PRETTY INTERESTING
IS THIS IS NEW THIS YEAR FOR
THE BEAN BOOT.
BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS THEM NOW.
YOU CAN CUSTOMIZE THEM WITH
LACES.
THEY HAVE A LACE BAR IN THE
STORE.
>> A LACE BAR?
>> A LACE BAR.
YOU CAN PICK OUT YOUR OWN
COLOR.
AND THEY HAVE -- I WISH I HAD
THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
YOU ABOUT I COULD HAVE GOTTEN
GREEN FROM LEVITT AREA HIGH
SCHOOL.
YEAH.
SCHOOL. YEAH. THEY HAVE LIKE RED FOR BOWDEN.
BOWDEN IS --
>> BOWDEN IS BLACK.
>> I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY
FASCINATING.
>> YOU HAD FUN, DIDN'T YOU?
>> WE HAD SO MUCH FUN.
AND IT REALLY IS IMPRESSIVE TO
SEE THAT IT'S STILL -- IT IS
STILL MADE A LOT BY HAND BY
PEOPLE IN MAINE.
I MEAN, THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE
JOB CREATOR FOR PEOPLE.
THAT'S REALLY NICE.
>> AND ALTHOUGH THEY DID NOT
HAVE BAND AIDS, YOU DID NOT