Traditional Rope Soled Espadrilles

They typically have a sandal like form with woven straps or else a canvas upper.
Traditional rope soled espadrilles. And unfortunately most of the style and elegance of an espadrille is lost too. The uppers vary widely in style. Espadrilles are traditionally sandals with canvas uppers and a sole made from esparto rope. By the xviiith century the town of mauléon in the viscounty of soule now part of pyrénées atlantique was a centre for the manufacture of espadrilles.
Making the traditional sole rope. Espadrilles are a typical form of spanish summer footwear. They were originally made from woven esparto hence the name but modern mass produced shoes are more commonly made from the cheaper jute giving the modern shoe a distinctive bright white colour. Just a slip on elasticated shoe with a rubber sole.
Espartinak are casual rope soled flat but sometimes high heeled shoes they usually have a canvas or cotton fabric upper and a flexible sole made of esparto rope the esparto rope sole is the defining characteristic of an espadrille. Originally worn by dock workers in spain and france the shoes have developed significantly over the years. When you have neither of those what you re left with is a plimsoll. Espadrilles are traditional rope soled shoes originating in the pyrenees region of france and spain.
The canvas upper has been retained and expanded upon you can now find lace up espadrilles for example and the soles are now made from jute. Pitch was used to protect undersides of the soles. The things that define an espadrille are the rope sole and the canvas. This procedure is a core skill of the production of traditional espadrilles.
They were hand made with soles of esparto or other grass rope.