France · Footwear craft; Basque heritage; Textile arts
Fabrication de l'Espadrille Basque
The hand-making of espadrilles — rope-soled canvas shoes — in the Basque Country. The Mauléon-Licharre area in the Basque interior has been the espadrille capital of France since the 19th century, supplying the global market before industrial production took over. Traditional espadrille making involves hand-braiding the jute rope sole and hand-sewing the Basque linen canvas upper, with the toe cap stitched by a specific crochet technique that no machine has successfully replicated.
Risk level: Endangered · Not listed
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