Interesting Facts About Kolhapuri Footwear (1)

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Interesting Facts About Kolhapuri
Footwear
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Kolhapuri footwear gets its name from its place
of origin, that is the Kolhapur district in
Western Maharashtra. The sturdy footwear, almost
resistible to wear and tear, yet comfortable, has
been a trend from years. The eco-friendly
Kolhapuri footwear has a truly royal look and
feel, no doubt theyre world famous and an
all-time favorite of everyone.
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History
The Kolhapuri footwear has existed from the 13th
century and have gained popularity in the past
two centuries. The footwear have been also called
by different names like Kapashi, Paytaan,
Kachkadi, Bakkalnali, and Pukari in the past,
depending from the villages they hailed from.
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Materials used
Vegetable dyes are essentially used to dye
them. Oil might be used to remove any wrinkles in
the leather. Decorative materials like gota
(golden/ silver cords), zari strips, pom-poms and
various kinds of embellishments
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Process
Generally, families in the Kolhapur district make
these footwear. While they can typically make
about 30-40 simple pairs in a week, a typical
chappal with a lot of detailing might take a
total of 6 weeks to produce. The production
process of the kitschy handcrafted slip-ons is
briefly shared below.
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Cont...
Templates with basic design are used to cut the
processed leather. Generally, the men of the
family cut leather and the women dip it in
water. This cut piece is then dipped in the
natural dyes and colors. Women stitch the patta
next, i.e., upper part of the Chappals and the
sole are stitched with leather cords. The
children of the house generally do the
weaving. Beautiful decorations are also done on
the upper portion of the chappals now
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Design and Special Features
Stitching and punching is done with hand, not
even a single nail is used. Hence, they are soft
and very comfortable. Sturdy and durable, a pair
can even last a lifetime given theyre maintained
properly and not worn in rainy season. Pores in
pure leather tend to absorb body heat, keeping
the wearer cool. Nevertheless, they can be worn
in both summers and winters. .
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Challenges of the Kolhapuri Footwear Industry
The recent beef ban has imposed a big challenge
on the Kolhapuri footwear industry, driving the
craftsmen out of business. The skyrocketing
prices of leather have affected the already
poverty-stricken workers. Moreover, the bigger
businesses have threatened the small families
locally producing the footwear and drastically
impacted the margins. Another reason for the
decline of the Kolhapuri footwear is the changing
preferences of people, both in terms of style and
labelled products. Due to the stated reasons, the
industry suffers a threat of declining in the
time to come.
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Brighter Side
Many organizations and businesses promoting the
traditional arts and crafts of India in and
outside the country have popularized the
Kolhapuri footwear even more. The international
markets have also loved and demanded these
exquisite pieces. With the governments
announcements on Make in India and Skill
India, theres a ray of hope for the industry to
pick up in a nicer way.
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