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EveryParampara

Crafts and makingSouth AsiaHindu

Kolhapuri chappal

Handcrafted braided leather slip-on sandals from western India

Kolhapuri chappal: Exhibit in the Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The museum permitted photography without restriction.
Photo: Daderot, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Kolhapuri chappals are handcrafted leather slip-on sandals made across specific districts in Maharashtra and Karnataka, India. Artisans shape buffalo hide using natural vegetable dyes and thread stitching without metal nails to create durable everyday footwear.

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Kolhapuri chappals are open-toed, slip-on leather sandals crafted by hand in western India. Skilled makers shape them from vegetable-tanned hides, joining the pieces with thread rather than metal nails. Featuring a distinctive toe ring and woven straps, these lightweight or rugged sandals range from soft indoor footwear to heavy farm shoes. Today, regional artisans preserve this specialised leatherworking tradition across designated districts in Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Origins and royal support

The Saudagar family played an influential role in designing an early thin style known as Kanwali, which featured side flaps. When retail shops in Bombay began ordering pairs in larger numbers during the early twentieth century, local makers expanded production and taught the technique to others. Earlier records also link the footwear to the eighteenth century under the Maratha Empire. Rulers such as Shahu I and his successor Rajaram II gave strong backing to local leatherworkers, establishing twenty-nine tanning centres across the region to help the craft expand.

Materials and construction

Creating an elaborate pair of sandals can take up to six weeks of hand labour, though makers also produce simple everyday versions much faster. Craftsmen rely mainly on vegetable-tanned buffalo hide, joining components solely with cord and thread instead of metal nails. The process involves pattern cutting, skiving, attaching heels, punching decorative details, and polishing the final assembly. While heavy farm models can weigh several kilograms, thin-soled indoor pairs weigh very little. When kept dry and protected from rainy weather, well-crafted pairs remain usable for decades.

Protected status and trade

In 2019, the footwear received geographical indication protection covering specific districts across Maharashtra and Karnataka, including Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Solapur, Bagalkot, and Dharwad. This designation recognises the historical work of local tanners and stitchers. The sector employs thousands of makers who create hundreds of thousands of pairs each year, exporting a significant share worldwide. Changing market demands have encouraged simpler designs alongside classic braided patterns. In recent years, local trade groups have also defended the craft against unauthorised commercial imitations by global fashion houses.

How Kolhapuri chappal is kept

Makers begin by preparing vegetable-tanned hide, skiving the leather, and cutting patterns for soles and straps. They punch holes, braid upper bands, and form the toe loop and foot strap. Artisans join the sole layers and heels entirely with thread, avoiding metal fasteners. After stitching, craftsmen trim the edges, add punched surface ornamentation, and polish the footwear. Finished sandals are distributed through regional markets or exported abroad.

When and where

Kolhapuri chappals originate in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. Under protected geographical status, authentic production is restricted to eight districts along the Maharashtra and Karnataka border, including Sangli, Satara, Solapur, Bagalkot, Belagavi, Dharwad, and Bijapur.

Kolhapuri chappal: Kolhapuri foot wear (also known as Kolhapuri chappal) in Hyderabad, India
Kolhapuri chappal: Kolhapuri foot wear (also known as Kolhapuri chappal) in Hyderabad, India. Photo: Melissa, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Kolhapuri chappal: Exhibit in the Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The museum permitted photography without restriction.
Kolhapuri chappal: Exhibit in the Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The museum permitted photography without r. Photo: Daderot, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Kolhapuri chappal: Exhibit in the Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The museum permitted photography without restriction.
Kolhapuri chappal: Exhibit in the Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The museum permitted photography without r. Photo: Daderot, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Kolhapuri chappal: Exhibit in the Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The museum permitted photography without restriction.
Kolhapuri chappal: Exhibit in the Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The museum permitted photography without r. Photo: Daderot, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Questions people ask about Kolhapuri chappal

What is a Kolhapuri chappal?

A Kolhapuri chappal is a traditional Indian slip-on leather sandal. It features an open toe, a ring for the big toe, braided straps, and sole layers stitched together with cord instead of metal nails.

Where are authentic Kolhapuri chappals made?

Genuine pairs come from designated districts in southwestern India, specifically Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, and Solapur in Maharashtra, alongside Bagalkot, Belagavi, Dharwad, and Bijapur in Karnataka.

What materials are used to make them?

Artisans traditionally construct the sandals from buffalo hide tanned with vegetable dyes and stitched with heavy thread. Cow hide is controversial due to Hindu religious sensibilities regarding cows.

How long do Kolhapuri sandals last?

Everyday pairs typically last around ten months with regular use. However, finely made pairs that are kept away from water and monsoon rains can last for decades.

See also

KambalaAn annual traditional buffalo race across muddy paddy fields in southwestern IndiaKathinaA Buddhist season of offering new robes and gifts to monks after the rains retreatDashainA fifteen-day festival of family gatherings, blessings, and feasts across NepalRoyal Ploughing CeremonyA royal agricultural rite opening the rice season across mainland Southeast Asia

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Kolhapuri chappal", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryParampara rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

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 2026-10-04.

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The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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