Our History
1900
Our founder Maurice Morel was born in 1885 in Normandy. Of humble origins, son of a shoemaker, he quickly learns the shoemaking skills and at a very young age he starts working for a famous shoefactory in Arpajon. Intraprendent and visionair, develops his own unique techinques to reinforce shoes. He sets up a small laboratory where he elaborates a new type of glue by melting caucciù gum. The adventure begins.
1920
The First World War signs a turning point. While injured in a hospital bed he has a simple and yet genius idea, a piece of cloth impregnated with glue: easy to use and to work with for shoemakers but at the same time perfect to use as a reinforcement for toepuffs. In 1920 Maurice opens his very first factory.
1924
Roi du Bout Dur
By 1924 Maurice opens several factories throughout Europe, becoming a landmark as a supplier for the shoemaking industry but most importantly for his greatest invention, the cotton toepuff! In an ironic and extravagant way, he proclaims himself “Roi du Bout Dur” and he becomes legend.
1926
Via Agudio
The Italian adventure of Morel starts in Milan.
1935
Antonio Ghiringhelli, a young clever man working as an accountant Alla Scala of Milan, is appointed by Maurice Morel to revamp the economical situation, drastically hit by the ’29 crisis. Not only he will manage to do so but he will also be responsible for the construction of the new, and our current, factory in Via Gradisca 18.
1938

1943

1944

1945

1948

'50s

'60s
Years of innovations.
With Silvertex being the very first water based adhesive and the toepuff Morelast.
Morelast, such an innovative and iconic product that shoemakers will no longer refer to the material by saying but rather ‘give me the Morelast’.
1972
Maurice Morel passes away and as the great man he was, he did it with style. By building himself a grave with ‘Roi Du Bout Dur’ engraved on it, rumours say he even asked for a telephone line and champagne bottles!
1992
Ottavio Bonfanti passes the baton to his son Luca Bonfanti.
The adhesive part is sold in order to concentrate and commit all the resources and technologies in the improvements of the reinforcement part. This move will enable Morel to export toepuffs and counters to the best shoe manufacturers around the world, maintaining its production exclusively in Italy.
2016
Nowadays, working and producing in a 1930s building it’s not easy, we admit it. Still, we have decided to stay in our wonderful factory and restructure it respecting its Art Decò architecture.
Also, fourth generation of Bonfanti enters the Morel family.
2019
Our canteen renovated. We like to think that Maurice Morel would be proud of us.
MOREL & C. spa | toepuffs and counters production | Via Gradisca,18 | 20151 | Milano | Italy
t +3902.3803.1701 | f + 3902.3303.1735 | infomorel@morel.it | vat nr. IT 00736310152 | PRIVACY