Jan Matzeliger (1852-1889) was a pioneering inventor of Surinamese and Dutch descent. He is known for inventing and securing in 1883, a U.S. patent for his “shoe lasting machine.” His invention led to the mass production of shoes, and revolutionized the shoe manufacturing industry worldwide. Prior to his invention, shoe soles were stitched to upper shoe parts by hand. Today, the basic mechanics and premises of his invention is the foundation for the lucrative global footwear industry, which in 2022 generated $163.2 billion. Athletic footwear was the largest market.
