How are Swedish clogs made?

The wooden clog production process is quite different from that of normal footwear that is made on a leather or rubber sole.  Since a traditional Swedish clogs is made on a base of wood, a large part of the production process is woodwork for a wooden clog producer. While most Swedish clog producers do not make the wooden bottoms themselves there are still some clog factories that both produce wooden bottoms and do the final assembly of the clogs in-house.

Wooden clog bottom production

Producers of Swedish clogs usually buy logs directly from forest owners or wholesalers and then saw up planks in different dimensions depending on model and shoe size. Those planks are then entered into a wood kiln to dry for several weeks until the moisture level is around 12 – 15 percent. This is essential in order to get a clog bottom that will keep shape after being produced. Once the planks are dried, they will be sawn into shape depending on the size of sole and then those pieces are put into a milling machine where the bottoms and foot beds get their shape. After this stage, outsoles are attached to the wooden bottoms and then they go into a fine milling machine to get the final shape and a finer finish.

What wood can be used in the production of wooden clog bottoms?

Wood suitable for producing clogs should be hardwoods that are relatively light and remains stable after drying. It’s also important that the wood can absorb moisture well. Swedish clogs are traditionally made out of alder wood and most Swedish clog producers still prefer to work with alder. Birch and lime wood is also common in clog production. Below you can read about some of the properties of these three types of wood:

• Alderwood is part of the birch family and is generally considered light and soft for being a hardwood. It’s not very susceptible to shrinkage and importantly remains stable after drying. Alder usually grows in moist areas like next to rivers and lakes and the wood usually remains stable when used under water. One of the important properties that make alder popular among Scandinavian clog producers is that it is easy to dry and doesn’t crack easily. It’s also easy to work in machining and turning and can be nailed without the wood splitting while also being easy to glue. It’s uniform, small pore structure and relatively consistent color makes it good for sanding, painting and for staining.
• Lime wood is also known as Tilia, Linden or basswood and is a soft hardwood that can be easily worked by hand or machine. It has an even, fine pored wood structure that makes it ideal for staining, painting and varnishing. The wood is stable once dried but it is not very durable and is therefore mainly used indoors.
• Birch is also a hardwood which has a medium-weight and good strength properties, it is quite elastic and tough but not very hard. Birch is relatively easy to work with and can also be turned and cut easily. Similarly to the above wood types, it can be stained and polished which is important for clog makers. Its bending properties are good but splitting properties are unfortunately not so good.

Making of the Swedish clog upper

Any Swedish clog factory will also need skilled workers for making the leather uppers. The craftspeople will need to understand the different properties of different leathers. Padded insteps and linings are then stitched on before the clog parts enter another part of the clog production stage, nailing and lasting. Here the uppers are shaped into the three dimensional shape of the last and attached to the wooden clog bottoms with nails or staples. The clogs are then inspected and heel pads with the clog producers’ or the clog brands logo are attached to the footbed.

Swedish clog makers are continuing a traditional craft that has been handed down from generation to generation. Working with natural materials takes patience and skill that is not something many factories have a lot of these days.

Fashion Tips on How to Wear Swedish Clog Sandals

When it comes to the art of clog-making, the Dutch may be said to be at the forefront. They have had fans since medieval times, but the truth is that wooden-soled shoes have been worn by people all over Europe for hundreds of years.

The Dutch all-wood “klompen” were usually made from the wood of poplar or willow trees and there are reasons why they have been preferred.

They are comfortable in both hot and cold weather, they are used as safety shoes by workers and help in keeping the feet dry in marshy areas.

The practice of Clog-dancing, seen as a forerunner to tap-dancing, led to the popularity and eventual arrival of Swedish clog sandals in the US markets in the 19th century

In the 1970’s, it was made popular by the Swedish band Abba who were clogs in a number of videos.

Need for Swedish Clog Sandals Today

Karl Lagerfeld’s collection for Chanel in 2010 put Swedish clog sandals back in the spotlight after a long time.

After this, everyone wanted a pair of these shoes.

Alexa Chung wore clogs to Chanel’s fashion show in the winter and on the cover of Vogue’s British edition of the March issue. After this, they have been popping up almost everywhere, from the high street brands to the inexpensive labels.

The reasons why Swedish clog sandals so popular was their solid build quality and their orthopedic design which made them score over the less durable and unhealthy footwear.  

Things to Look Out for in Swedish Clog Sandals

Today, Swedish clog sandals come in a number of variations. While some are slip-on with covered or uncovered toes, others are the heeled clogs.

The only consideration here is that the base must be made of wood from the front to the back, with a raised platform.

For some fashionistas, natural-hued leather clogs may be the pick of the season, but there are a number of color variations which can not only lift your spirits, but also put a spring in your step.

Which Swedish Clog Sandal Style Will Best Suit Your Body Type

Athletic Shape: You can wear any style, but the slip-ons would suit you best.

Petite Shape: Look for Swedish clog sandals which have heels and will add some inches to your height.

Curvy Shape: Clog heels would greatly accentuate your calves with any short dress that you wear.

Reasons Why Women’s Clog Sandals are Preferred as Nursing Shoes

Whenever we think about women’s clog sandals, especially nursing clog sandals, our thoughts immediately get inclined towards the growing popularity of these shoes as they are being quickly taken up by nurses, worldwide. 

Owing to their popularity and the benefits they provide, doctors and a number of medical practitioners have begun wearing them

Women’s Clog Sandals

Clog sandals for women are a type of footwear which are made from wood and are worn by people all over the world.

Conventionally, these pieces of footwear were worn by workers as protective gear that prevented them from hurting their feet. These workers were mostly the ones who worked in the fields of agriculture, factories, or mines. 

Over the past few decades, the type of materials which are used for making women’s clog sandals have undergone a tremendous change.

 

What has not changed however, is their shape which continues to remain the same, albeit a few modifications that have been made to suit everyone’s choices and preferences and to make the wearer stand out in the crowd.

Why do Nurses Prefer Women’s Clog Sandals

Nursing requires comfortable shoes as the nurses have to be on their feet, the whole day. 

Most of the people associated with the nursing industry have work shifts which typically last over twelve hours. 

In these twelve hours, the nurses are always on their toes as they have to run every few minutes, attending to patients and doing other duties which need their attention. 

In such situations, clog sandals prove to be the best recourse, and as a result, a number of hospitals have taken up clogs as their working shoes.

These hospitals have their own designs which are in tandem with the requirements of the insurance industry. 

 

Advantages of Women’s Clog Sandals

Apart from providing immense comfort, there are a number of other advantages which clog sandals provide, some of which are as follows –

• Nurses are compelled to work on different surfaces, of which, some are rather slippery. It is important that they do not slip as they carry lifesaving drugs, IV sets, and syringes. They are able to continue doing their jobs smoothly when they wear clogs.
• The soles of the clog sandals, when compared with other hard shoes, are rather soft and thus, do not leave behind any footwear marks on tiles. Shoe marks are one of the prominent reasons why floors get damaged.
• Clog sandals do not have any laces which need to be tied. All you need to do is slip your foot in and you are ready.
• They are lightweight and yet durable, because of which, they can be worn for long hours without hurting the feet

Clogs for Men- Footwear Perfection Crafted for Ultimate Comfort

The limited variety available in men’s shoes and the lack of quality shoemakers who are experts in their craft have led a lot of men to stick to just one brand and one or two types of shoes. Experimentation is not really men’s forte, especially when it comes to their footwear. Clogs for men epitomize bespoke style and classic appeal and are the perfect choice for those men who wish to get out of the monotony of the same old shoes they have been wearing since boyhood.

Made with leather, suede or Nubuck, and crafted from the wood of alder and/or lime trees, clogs represent the ideal work shoes for men and women of the past and the present. In the pre-industrial era, these humble shoes were seen on the feet of every man as well as woman. They provided unparalleled comfort and protection to the feet from external factors like harsh weather conditions, sharp objects and uneven terrain.

When it comes to bespoke shoes for men, it is common to find people making a beeline to the showrooms of high-end brands. Best quality leather imported from Germany, France or Italy, suede imported from England or Cordovan from the States are used to make such shoes and their price bracket is such that these shoes become too extravagant for the normal man.

Clogs for men have turned out to be the best alternative for their high-end bespoke counterparts.

Depending on the structure of men’s feet and the common shapes, each piece of clog shoe is precisely crafted and shaped to provide the best fit for every size. All orthopedic requirements that are generally overlooked by most shoemakers are taken care of and fulfilled in the best way by clog makers.

Men with large feet face a common problem- constricted toe boxes that are too suffocating and uncomfortable for daily wear, especially to wear to work.

Moreover, the required support for the spine as well as the arch of the feet are not provided by most men’s shoes.

These two aspects are effectively addressed by the anatomic design and shape of clogs for men.

Wooden clog shoes have larger toe boxes as compared to the other types of men’s footwear and the curved shape of the bottoms made of dehydrated alder or lime wood, coupled with the rolling motion of the wood make for a great fit and exceptional comfort, rarely experienced in men’s shoes.

Things that you didn’t know About Clog Dancing

Clog dancing, which is better known as clogging is mainly associated with stomping of the foot. It is a part of folk dancing which involves synchronization of the dancer’s feet to the sound of the music which is playing. Initially, bluegrass was one of the most sought after music pieces when it came to clog dancing. The reason why it was so popular is because dancers were comfortable with it when performing the dance steps such as foot shuffling, stomping, and tapping.

Today however clogging has undergone a radical change in which teenagers have increased the tempo and made the moves more precise.

Clogging is a Very Precise Art

At its simplest, clogging is done by double tapping the toes by making use of one of the wooden clogs at a time. These clogs can be worn both by women and men. The step is initiated with the left foot by moving the left toe to and from and making continuous tapping sounds in the process. After this, the same sounds are made with the balls of the left foot. Once this has been done, the same movements are done with the right foot. Thus, it needs to be remembered here that first, the left foot is to be used for tapping forward and backward and then the right.

The prime consideration here is to learn how not to put too much weight on the feet when performing the steps. Once that is done, you can easily try out new variations of the steps on your own. You can even try out freestyle routines once you have more flexibility in your knees and a better balance of your body. You can perform with a partner, solo or as part of a troupe. It is this very versatility of clogging using wooden clogs that attract both women and men the most.

Clogging can be Done Anywhere

The modern form of clogging does not depend on any specific location and can be performed almost anywhere, be it the cities or the villages. However, the modern form of clogging done using wooden clogs can be rather tough in the first instance. This is because it is very organized and is done in local groups and under the supervision of certified instructors. Such local groups make use of every real estate they have access to for their practice sessions. These include ballrooms, churches, civic centers, garages, gymnasiums and even schools. The members of such groups are no novices but are rather experienced and many of them including women have taken part in regional and national clogging events.

Finding the Best Wooden Clog Boots Made Easy

 

Clogs have been the in-thing for a couple of years now. The credit of bringing them back into people’s eye from being brushed under the carpet can be accorded to Chanel and Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer collection of 2010. Since then wooden clogs haven’t gone out of fashion, and from the looks of wooden clog boots, seems like they’re here to stay.

There has also been some debate about the benefits and troubles caused by Clogs. A reason as to why people face troubles with clogs is probably because they’re wearing wooden clogs that are not built for them. Therefore, finding a pair (or plenty!) wooden clog boots that suit you is crucial. So, how can you find the appropriate wooden clog boots?

Inquire what goes into Crafting Wooden Clog Boots

It’s important to get to know what all goes into the making of your footwear, especially when they’re wooden clogs.

• Know what kind of wood it’s made out of
• Ask whether they’re orthopedic
• Inquire about the type of adhesive being used
• Get to know if the wooden clogs that you’re buying have staples or nails
• Which material for clog boots is good for you – leather or suede?
• Check whether the boots are designed to be sturdy and not just stylish

Do your Clog Boots Come with a Set of Special Care Instructions?

If your wooden clog boots come with a set of special care instructions then you can breathe a sigh of relief. This means that your clog’s manufacturers care about your boots as much as you do.

Their care manual would include instruction about taking care of the wooden part of the heels, maybe how to clean it when it gets dirty. Or which material (sandpaper or cotton cloth) to clean it with.

Instructions should also cover how to take care of the upper – suede or leather – because just the wooden part of the boots is not prone to damage.

A Pair of Good Wooden Clog Boots should be Able to Live up to Certain Expectations

• The bottoms of the boots should be designed in a way that promotes even weight distribution across each foot.
• There must be an arch support and raised heels in order to support your feet and legs and reduce lower-back strain.
• Wooden heel boots should be noiseless to walk in. An ideal shoe bottom should be made of thick PU sole.

Tracing the Footprints of Traditional Wooden Clogs

Modern clogs come in multiple forms for both men and women. From high heels to low, from open heels to closed, from sandals to shoes – modern clogs are famous not only because of their diverse types, but they’re a unique set of footwear crafted with wooden soles, and these wooden clogs are extremely comfy and durable.

What many of us don’t know is that clogs are not a novel invention. They’ve been in use since time immemorial. Clogs were used as protective footwear in parts of Europe and Asia. Indeed their appearance has changed in today’s time, but the essence of traditional wooden clogs remains the same. Let’s trace the footprints of wooden clogs from all around the world:

Træsko from Denmark

The oldest traces of clogs in Denmark are found in lime paintings that date back to 1100. Therefore, we can assume that medieval people wore clogs as a part of their attire. It was also a commonly used by peasants as protective footwear.

Clogs from the Netherlands (Klomp)

Traditional clogs from the Netherlands were entirely made of wood and covered the whole feet. They are still manufactured (approximately three million pairs a year) and sold throughout the country. A large part of the klompen are bought as travel souvenirs. Some Dutch market gardeners and farmers still wear traditional wooden clogs for their primary purpose – protection of feet.

An interesting fact about Dutch clogs being manufactured today is that they’ve been officially accredited with the CE mark as safety shoes.

Clogs from the United Kingdom

The earliest use of wooden footwear in the UK can be traced back to the Roman times (possibly prior to that). People who were too poor to afford proper shoes supposedly wore wood (directly against the skin) – the clog seems to have found its birth in the UK, partly made of wood (at the bottom) and partly with leather (at the top).

With the eruption of Industrial Revolution, the use of clogs became more apparent in the Britain, as industrial workers required strong as well as cheap footwear. Men wore laced clogs and women wore clasped clogs. This was the heyday of traditional clogs in Britain, though they were associated particularly with Lancashire.

Forms of Dance Associated with Traditional Clogs

• A Northern English step dance.
• A Dutch style of dance known as Klompendansen.
• A form of English folk dance known as Morris dance is sometimes performed wearing clogs.