Peshawari chappal

What it is

Two wide leather straps cross each other and meet the sole. A third strap sits around the heel and fastens with a buckle, so the wearer can loosen or tighten the shoe to suit the foot. The upper is leather; the sole is often cut from an old lorry tyre, sometimes with softer leather stitched over the rubber. Because the materials cost little and wear well, the sandal lasts a long time. Makers offer many colours and patterns, and some pairs carry silver or gold embroidery. In Pakistan people reach for them instead of ordinary slippers or sandals, indoors and out.

Origins and history

The craft grew out of the artisan work of northern Punjab. In the hills the shoe had to survive rough ground, unlike the softer jutti of the plains. A limestone ridge near Rawalpindi earned the nickname The Sandal Breaker, because it ruined the soles of travellers who crossed it. British colonial gazetteers record the footwear in use across the Attock, Jhelum, Shahpur and Rawalpindi districts, and Raverty's 1860 Pashto dictionary lists chaplí and kheṛ as terms taken from Punjabi. Through the early twentieth century the design travelled along trade routes into the towns of the northwest. After independence in 1947, workers in Peshawar used softer leather and finer finishing, and the shoe took that city's name.

How it is made

In workshops the work is done by hand. A craftsman cuts the upper from leather and adds patterns to it while it lies flat, before the shoe is shaped. The decorated piece then goes into a mold that stretches it to size. The sole is prepared separately, often from a rubber tyre, and softer leather may be sewn onto it. The straps and the heel buckle are fixed to the sole and stitched. What leaves the workshops is a hand-stitched pair, and much of it is sent abroad.

Dress and occasions

The chappal fits into a way of dressing. Men pair it with the shalwar kameez, and since it is semi-closed rather than an open slip, it suits formal occasions as well as everyday ones. At weddings it is a familiar sight, and it also appears at cultural events and religious festivals around the country. Hand-stitched pairs are sent abroad as well, so the shoe is seen well beyond Pakistan.

Today and change

Since the 2010s the sandal has drawn notice far beyond Pakistan. In 2014 a British designer released a sandal that closely resembled it, which drew criticism in Pakistan; the label later acknowledged that the traditional footwear had been its inspiration. Five years after that, a French fashion house brought out a sandal it called the Imran Sandal, again credited to the Peshawari chappal and carrying the house's well-known red sole. Opinion online divided, some calling it cultural appropriation and others seeing new recognition for the sandal. A newer cut, the Kaptaan chappal, gained a following in 2015 after a pair was presented to the politician Imran Khan.

How Peshawari chappal is kept

Making a pair follows a fixed order. A craftsman selects leather and cuts the upper. Patterns are worked into it while flat. The upper goes into a mold and is stretched to size. Separately a sole is cut, often from a rubber tyre, and softer leather is sometimes stitched over it. Straps and the heel buckle are attached and sewn. The finished sandal is worn by men with the shalwar kameez, casually during the day or formally for weddings and festivals.

When and where

There is no fixed date connected to the chappal, and no season for it. Men wear it all year round, on ordinary days and on formal ones. It comes out for weddings, cultural events and religious festivals across Pakistan.

Stitching is concentrated in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in northwestern Pakistan. Peshawar is one of the biggest centres, and Chakwal and Talagang are known for hand-stitched work that is sold abroad. Kohat, Sargodha, Hazro and Dera Ismail Khan also make the sandal.

What Peshawari chappal means

For the people who wear it, this sandal carries a sense of place. It is counted as part of Pashtun dress, and it is often called Pakistan's national shoe. Putting on a pair for a wedding or a festival ties the wearer to that shared identity. The arguments over foreign copies made the point plain: this is not just a cheap sandal but something people feel they own.

Questions people ask about Peshawari chappal

See also

KurtaA loose collarless tunic from South Asia, worn plain or embroidered over pyjamas or jeansShalwar kameezLoose trousers and a long tunic, worn as one outfit across South AsiaSherwaniA long buttoned coat for men, worn at weddings and state occasions in South AsiaPashminaUltra-fine wool of Himalayan goats, hand-woven in Kashmir into shawls of rank

Good reading and sources

• Kaptaan special chapal goes online as it gains popularityDawn, Article
• Kaptaan special chapal goes online as it gains popularityDawn, Article

• Kheri (footwear) on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-11.