EXPERT - HISTORY & FACTORY - Vol. 4

This time, we will introduce the history of clogs.

The culture of wooden footwear exists worldwide, and while its form varies by culture, it often has a long history within that culture.

It is said that traditional Swedish wooden clogs largely served as protective gear and safety shoes for heavy labor in mining, agriculture, and industry.

Sweden is rich in natural resources, and its iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium, arsenic, feldspar, and abundant timber and hydropower have supported the country's industrial development.

Even today, many clog factories remain in Sweden.

The area where EXPERT's factory is located has long had a thriving railway industry, and it is thought that there is a historical background to the development of clog-making as safety shoes.

These seem to be the designs of clogs when they were used as safety shoes.

One reason for using wooden clogs is that 10% of Sweden's land area is covered by water, with many marshes and lakes, resulting in relatively muddy terrain.

Leather or fabric shoes would quickly get soaked, so wooden clogs have been favored.

Also, when wooden clogs get wet, the wood expands, which helps protect the feet from cold.

They can be easily put on and taken off without using hands, and because they are made of wood, they provide excellent protection for the feet.

These are the workers from the era when the railway industry was flourishing.

Near the EXPERT factory, there is a railway museum that exhibits historical materials and information about the railway industry of that time. This photo was also displayed at the railway museum.