A little bit about Espadrilles
The history of espadrilles goes back 700 years in the Pyrenees outskirts, a mountain range in the north of Spain. However, primitive versions have been found in Egypt and the Roman Empire.
It was created as a comfortable shoe for the King’s Infantry soldiers to wear during their long walks but it soon gained popularity among the general population. In many regions, espadrilles also became part of the traditional dancing costumes.
Later on, the humble espadrille became famous when artists like Salvador Dalí or Picasso used them to walk the Mediterranean coast.
Internationalisation came by the hand of JFK, Sophia Loren, Grace Kelly, Rita Hayworth, who fell for them and embraced their feel.
Then, the designer Yves Saint Laurent in collaboration with a Spanish artisan developed an espadrille model with a high wedge in the 1970. From there, wedge espadrilles became a fashion icon.
Since then, it’s rare to find a Spanish women without at least a pair of espadrilles in their closets. We sure love them!
ZAPAS are handcrafted by the experienced hands of traditional Spanish manufacturers. The soles are composed of braided Jute fibers.
The braided sole is compressed with heat, bonded to a thin rubber outsole, and stitched throughout to maintain its form.
The canvas uppers are cut from patterns, assembled, and attached to the soles using a variety of machine and hand stitching. Each pair is inspected for quality.
There is a very unique feel when you wear espadrille foot beds. The sole, made out of jute and natural fibers, is firm but pliable with highly insulating properties. It gives you the fresh feeling of walking on grass in a hot summer day.
It’s eco friendly since it’s made from jute and jute has plenty of benefits like being biodegradable and shaping to your feet.
On our platform and flat espadrilles your bare feet contact this natural antibacterial fiber which makes for a healthful and relaxing “stride.” It often takes a day or two to get used to this new liberated feeling, but 700 years of history has shown the benefit.
You may want to wear your ZAPAS inside on a carpeted surface for the first few trials to make sure the fit is right. Both the jute foot bed and the canvas upper will shape to your feet with use so the more you wear them, the more they conform to the unique shape of your foot. Espadrilles are available in various styles from flat sandals to wedges.
ZAPAS espadrilles are made in a little village in Southeastern Spain. The small factory located in Caravaca de la Cruz, with under 10 employees manufacture the shoes with the traditional artisans from the village that do the final hand stitches to give the last touch of quality.
The manufacture of items using jute and esparto grass is a tradition in the South-Eastern Spanish area where esparto plants naturally sprout in every corner of the landscape from the Tabernas dessert to the Mediterranean sea shore.