Choosing the Leather
We carefully select our vegetable-tanned leather, sourced from free-range South African cattle. While we cut around major defects, natural markings like stretch marks and tick bites add to the character - each pair carries a story, making your footwear one of a kind.
Cutting & Punching
Every piece of leather is carefully cut to ensure precision and minimise waste. Each hole for stitching is punched manually, keeping the process true to traditional craftsmanship.
Stitching the Pieces
The pieces are securely stitched together, combining skilled craftsmanship with long-lasting strength.
Pressing & Grinding
We attach a durable rubber sole with heat-activated glue using the stitch-down method, which makes the shoes easy to resole once worn out for extended life.
Wet Lasting & Sun Drying
Wet lasting is a traditional method where the leather is soaked, shaped over the last, and left to dry in the sun, moulding perfectly to its final form. This natural drying process takes 2 to 4 days, but even longer in winter when the sun is weaker. Instead of rushing the process, we embrace it, letting nature do the work to ensure the best fit and comfort.
Final Touches
Before leaving our workshop, every pair is carefully inspected by hand to ensure it meets our standards. A special label on your footwear tells you when they were made and by who, connecting you directly to the skilled artisan behind your pair.
Upcycling off cuts into keepsakes
We follow a zero-waste policy, striving to use every piece of leather, even the smallest off-cuts. These leftover materials are transformed into key hangers, handles for our boxes, and gift travel tags: beautiful, functional items that give a second life to what would otherwise be discarded.
Packing with Care
Your boots are packed with the utmost care in our Traveller’s Box, which doesn’t just hold your shoes but can also be reused to store the treasures and memories from all your adventures