Wooden Clogs- From Raw Materials till the Showrooms

There are interesting stories behind the history and origin of our shoes and clothes- Take the example of jeans or Swedish wooden clogs, both of which were born out of the entrepreneurial spirits of their makers who wished to create something useful. Levi Strauss felt the need to make tough and functional pants for the American mineworkers of his time and designed the first pair of indigo-blue jeans. Similarly, Swedish wooden clogs were designed in 1907 for the hard working agricultural and factory workers as heavy-duty protective footwear for both men and women. They are no longer limited to mineworkers or farmers, but are wardrobe essentials for men and women of all ages and stature and have reached distant places all over the world.

Taking the discussion on clogs further, we will elaborate on the design features, making and benefits of wearing these shoes.

Materials used:

Swedish wooden clogs and their other variants are made of wood and leather. The wood used is usually from lime, alder, aspen, poplar, and willow trees. These wood types can withstand the weight of the wearers’ feet and the force exerted on the heel while walking without undergoing any deformation. These qualities are achieved by dehydrating the wood to more than 90% of the moisture content is lost. The leather used is wet lasted to ensure a customized fit for all feet sizes. The sole is made of polyurethane which gives a slip-resistant and firm walking experience. As there is minimum usage of synthetic materials in clogs, their manufacturing process does not harm the environment.

Design features:

The the footbed of Swedish wooden clogs is designed keeping in mind the orthopedic requirements and the common feet shapes and types. The height of the heel is neither too high, nor too low. Leather uppers may be dyed or treated to achieve a glossy or matte finish. The heel type may vary- there are wedge-heeled clogs, normal high heeled clogs as well as classic heeled clogs (which are smaller in size).

Manufacturing process:

• Logs are sawn into planks and dehydrated.
• These dehydrated planks are then cut according to the sizes and milled to shape the bottom.
• The leather is inspected closely and clicked out.
• This is followed by the stitching of the leather uppers, straps, and buckles.
• The uppers and wooden bottoms are nailed together. Before the nailing process, the wooden bottom may be dyed.
• While the leather uppers are still moist (moist leather is more flexible), the last is inserted into the Swedish wooden clogs which are almost ready.
• Lastly, they are quality checked and set aside to dry in the drying room. Once they cool down, the lasts are removed.
• So the next time you go shopping, bring a little piece of twentieth century European history home in the form of Swedish wooden clogs.