Wooden Shoes

Most of the world is familiar with wooden shoes, but did you know that in Holland (the Netherlands) they are called klompen (klohm pen)? Other people call them clogs. Last weekend we had the opportunity to visit a klompen factory, museum, and showroom. It was very interesting and we'd like to share a bit of trivia concerning the making of klompen: They date back about 800 years. Old klompen are hard to find since the used ones were usually burned in the stove or fireplace. Klompen are still worn by some of the farmers and people in small villages. They have have changed very little over the centuries. With today's modern technology, the inner and outer sides of a pair can be finished in about 2 minutes. Master craftsman can finish a pair in about 2 hours, using the older techniques. They are usually made from poplar and willow trees. The average tree makes about 75 pairs of shoes. Wooden shoes are a simple idea and a creative way to make comfortable shoes inexpensively out of two blocks of wood.