Each shoe in our new Footwear Collection is exquisitely crafted by Ethiopian shoe artisans from leather sourced through local family farmers. In addition to sustainably supporting the local economy and creating jobs in East Africa, 10% of proceeds from this collection go towards the Sseko Scholarship Fund to educate and empower women.
Here is a peek at the process behind the new collection!
1. We started the design process for our first footwear collection over a year ago. First, we developed the lasts that give the shoes their unique shape. Next, we spent months fine-tuning the pattern and design.
2. Once we finalized the patterns, we selected the leather. For the Sseko Nomad Booties and Loafers we chose Ethiopian highland sheepskin. The caramel is a napa sheepskin finish and the grey and black booties are a smooth-as-velvet-suede finish. The vintage gold is a sheepskin finished with a distressed gold foil overlay. Each type of this buttery soft sheepskin will mold to your feet overtime.
3. Each hide was hand-selected by our team. We only use the highest grade of leather available.
4. Meet Salem! She is a talented shoe artisan that will help take the beautiful hides of leather we’ve selected and create stunning footwear.
5. Salem carefully stitches each part of the pattern together. There are thousands of stitches that go into each shoe. The double padded insole provides supreme comfort, while the 100% leather upper and lining creates a breathable shoe.
6. The flats are named after the Lalibella region of Ethiopia, where the very first pair of these shoes were worn wandering through the ancient rock-hewn churches!
Each Sseko shoe is crafted with love, care and consideration. We hope you (& your tootsies!) love them!!
