Through excavations in Nerevskij End, remnants of workshop for shoemakers and beamhouses were found. Shoes made of leather dating that date back to the 11th-16th century were also discovered.

The process of preparing leather for shoemaking began with a bath. The hide was then cleansed of all remaining subcutaneous and flesh tissues using iron adszes.

Russian shoemaking traditions

Shoemakers began to use different kinds of baste in the 12th century. The bark from birch oak, and elm trees was removed and mixed with bast. Then, it was stored. The bark was later separated into strips, and then used to weave the lapti. The strips can be weaved in either the diagonal or straight patterns, and the shoes can be decorated using embroidering or stamping.

Lapti were the main footwear of common people. The comfort, simplicity and affordability of these shoes helped make them very popular. They were used until the beginning of the Civil War in Russia. Then they were mass manufactured to replace them.

Porshni were low-heeled shoes that were in fashion during the 16th-17th century. This kind of shoe was found only in the urban excavations. The shoes were constructed from rawhide ox, however they featured a felt top as well as an ox-skin sole.

Leather shoe industry in Russia

In the 11th and 10th centuries, Novgorod’s tanners produced rawhide. Rawhide was not made into a tanned product, but was rather it was kneaded with fat before being soaked. The leatherworkers used it to create belts, tackles, and a simple footwear style called “bog shoes”. porshni]. The symmetrical shoes (left and right) found in the dig suggest that the shoemakers used a special last to shape the material.

The earliest bogs featured designs stamped on the sides, which were similar to the design of a pouch. kosheliok, koshelek). It was a typical method to embellish leather. The designs were later made with silk or wool thread.

Novgorod is where the earliest leather shoes that have been preserved in Russia have been found. They were different from one another: some were low, and reached the ankle, while others included a collar that sat around the ankles like boots. They were worn by the aristocratic class boysars, and other characters depicted in monuments.

Lapti was a very well-loved kind of shoe among the Russian peasantry in medieval times. Old, worn-out lapti were often hung over fences and in homes to prevent the negative ideas that a stranger could bring to a house. Old lapti can also be utilized to move domovoi, or the house spirit, from one house to another one during a relocation.

Evolution of Russian leather footwear

Archaeological evidence suggests that shoemakers created shoes for the broadest stratum of Novgorod citizens, from artisans to peasants. Shoemakers also produced shoes for princes of wealth and boyars depicted in art works. In the 11th-12th centuries, the craftsmanship of shoemakers was significantly improved. Early shoes were distinguished by simpler embroidery and carvings. They were replaced by more elaborate designs.

In the 13th century, soft footwear was introduced (Rus. porshni]. Remains of these shoes with soles made of flats were found in burial mounds at Vjatichi. The upper, sole bootleg and heel quarter of these shoes were made from a softer leather than the sole and get more info in this website https://www.mulgati.com/. A liner [podnariad or podnarjad] was sewed between the two upper halves.

The Russian leather (lapti) utilized in these shoes is an distinctive feature. The leather was made of animal hides tanned with barks from oak, birch as well as linden and other trees. This leather was known for its long life as well as its distinctive scent and unique hatched texture.

In the 17th and 16th centuries new kinds of footwear were introduced into Europe (valenki). These boots became the standard winter footwear of Russian peasants during the 19th century. They remain an integral part of traditional Russian dress and have become a symbol of Russia’s cultural heritage. They are made of top-quality natural leather. They also have an asymmetrical final that corresponds to the shape of the foot, leaving the space for toes.

Russian shoe brands

The production of leather shoes in Russia accounts for more than 10 percent of the world’s footwear industry. The growing demand for leather shoes of high quality has made this one of the nation’s most important industries. To satisfy this growing demand, several companies within the industry of leather shoes have sprung up in Russia. Vakhrushi-Litobuv as well as Technoavia are two companies that are based out of Yoshkar Ola.

Vakhrushi-Litobuv is a specialist in safety footwear made from leather and is the largest supplier of this kind of products on the Russian market. It supplies its products to the Mosvodokanal>> Management Company LLC, North-West>the PJSC and the Bashkiravtodor>>> JSC enterprises. It also offers a range of casual leather shoes.

Technoavia is a full-cycle shoe manufacturing firm that has been in operation since 1992. The factory located in Yoshkar-Ola is outfitted with four Desma injection molding machines which allow it to make footwear that has PU/PU or TPU bottoms. Technoavia is also the only manufacturer of insulated leather safety boots in the world.

The company was the first to use “Russian Leather” which is a type of leather that is made from the skins of Southern German cows and sealed using oil and wax. The leather is a deep hue, which ranges from dark claret to sienna. Additionally, it has a distinctive scent of sweetness. The leather is very resilient and resistant to stains.