What are the Dutch wooden shoes called?

Clogs
Clogs, the iconic footwear of the Netherlands, were the shoes of choice for Dutch laborers of centuries past. The wooden slip-ons were sturdy, cheap and—when stuffed with straw—cozy and warm.

Why did the Dutch wear wooden clogs?

Clogs date back to the early 13th century in the Netherlands. They were designed to protect the feet of factory workers, artisans, farmers, fishermen, and other trade jobs. Clogs were originally not made entirely from wood but had only a wooden sole with leather strapped over the top.

Why did the Netherlands wear wooden shoes?

The Dutch walked on wooden shoes because they were comfortable, durable, cheap, water-resistant, well insulated, and provided good feet protection. That made wooden shoes well suited for farmers and manual laborers, a large part of the population in those days.

Do people in Holland wear wooden clogs?

Dive into the history of one of the Netherlands’ most famous icons, wooden clogs. The Dutch have worn wooden shoes – or klompen as they’re known in the Netherlands -since the 13th century. Just don’t come to Holland expecting to see locals going about their day wearing the traditional Dutch clogs.

Why are clogs called clogs?

Originally, clogs were made out of one piece of wood and proved handy for protecting your feet against the dirt on the ground. They took their inspiration from “calceus” shoes, which were worn in the days of the Roman Empire. These shoes had a wooden sole, leather straps on top and resembled sandals.

What wood are Dutch clogs made from?

Wooden clogs are usually made from one of three kinds of wood: European willow, yellow poplar, or tulip poplar. These woods are all hard and water resistant. After the lumber is cut, it is not treated in any way, but made into shoes as soon after felling as is practical.

What are wooden clogs called?

Two main variants can be seen: whole foot clogs; where the wooden upper covers the whole of the foot to near the ankle, such as the familiar Dutch klomp. They are also known as “wooden shoes”. Whole foot clogs can give sufficient protection to be used as safety footwear without additional reinforcements.

Are clogs Dutch?

Whatever you may think of them, traditional Dutch wooden shoes or clogs (klompen), are an important part of Dutch heritage and are still worn in rural parts of the country today. Dutch language has many idiomatic expressions associated with wooden shoes.