Flat shoes with leather × rubber soles, perfect for heading out

On sunny days, you can't help but want to go outside and walk.
Since you're going to walk anyway, shoes that are easy to slip on and don't tire your feet are ideal.
And flat shoes, with their low soles that fit snugly to your feet,
make walking all the more enjoyable.

Leather and rubber.
At first glance these might sound like opposing materials,
but they're actually a combination often used in shoes.

Leather becomes the upper of the shoe.
Its appearance varies depending on the type of leather and finishing method,
but leather has excellent moisture absorption, so the inside of the shoe doesn't get stuffy,
and it has the quality of gradually molding to the shape of your foot the more you wear it.
Leather's beautiful appearance is also one of its charms.
Being a durable material, it offers the reassurance of being wearable for years.

Rubber, on the other hand, is often used as sole material.
There are various types of rubber soles, but among them, a material called crepe sole
is made by hardening the sap (latex) collected from natural rubber trees.
Compared to shoes made entirely of leather, even the sole,
rubber soles offer excellent cushioning and flexibility,
and crepe soles in particular are known for their comfortable feel.

ZUTTO also carries the following shoes, which use leather for the upper and rubber for the sole.

■EL NATURALISTA Elvia Jeiro

A slip-on style shoe whose leather wraps snugly around the foot along the shape of the instep.
The sole is made from recycled rubber.

■duckfeet Leather Strap Sandals

Sandals with a basic design.
They feature a numé leather strap combined with a crepe sole.

Shoes made from leather and rubber
differ from all-leather shoes, which give off a stiff, business-like impression;
the combination of different materials lends them a softer feel.
As shoes that suit any occasion,
they have the advantage of being easy to wear casually in everyday life.

Easy-to-wear, easy-to-walk-in flat shoes are recommended for strolling around town or taking a walk.

Of all the parts that make up a shoe's structure, the sole is where the most force is applied.
It's the part that bears your body weight as well as resistance from the ground.
High-heeled shoes make it difficult to balance your own weight,
placing strain on your feet, so wearing them for long periods leaves you feeling tired.
Flat shoes, on the other hand, have a flat sole as their name suggests,
so your body weight and the ground's resistance are received across the whole sole of your foot.
Because the force is distributed, no single part of the foot bears the full load.

*Since there are no grooves on the bottom of the sole, the shoes may be slippery on rainy days or depending on the surface material of the road.

EL NATURALISTA's Elvia Jeiro has a wide opening that makes it easy to slip your foot in,
and since the leather wraps completely around the instep, it's designed not to slip off easily.
Elastic gores on both sides of the shoe provide stretch,
so the shoe fits snugly as you move your feet.
The toe area is generously wide, and the leather upper is very soft,
so your toes aren't cramped and can firmly grip the ground.

The removable insole has extra height toward the heel,
and its underside resembles cork.
Combined with the recycled rubber sole, this insole
creates a comfortable feel that doesn't tire your feet even after walking for long periods.
Elvia Jeiro, whose name means "traveler,"
is truly a design made with people who walk in mind.

The duckfeet leather strap sandals are a basic pair featuring crossed numé leather straps.
Natural numé leather from Scandinavia runs from the heel area through the inside of the insole,
connecting as a single strap.
This means the strap length can be adjusted to fit the height and width of your instep.
The strap, made of natural leather, is also a part you can enjoy watching change over time with use.
As the years pass, it grows richer in color and develops more luster.

The sole has almost no height,
but even when walking on hard ground like asphalt, it softens the impact,
and this gentle wearing feel is one of the unique benefits of a crepe sole.
The distinctively wide "duck foot" silhouette
also makes these shoes easy to wear for people with bunions.

Flat shoes that you can wear without a second thought
go well with all kinds of outfits.
From classic basic styles to slightly distinctive colored pieces,
they blend in naturally.

Clockwise from top left:

Classic 5 Natural/Black
Stole, printed cottonvoil 611033
Mini shoulder bag, navy
Elvia Jeiro, Ena/Sand

On days with warm sunshine,
coordinate your favorite hat and stole together.
Elvia Jeiro flat shoes
also match well with different materials like cotton and raffia.

Clockwise from top left:

SUN TORTOISE
Daypack
Elvia Jeiro, Green/Pino
Field watch, sterile desert tan

For a day when you want a slightly sporty look,
how about flat shoes that add a pop of color to a basic style?
Elvia Jeiro's Green/Pino pairs nicely with white and brown.

Clockwise from top left:

Konairo Asagi (light blue) Ladies
Necklace JPA1432
Leather Strap Sandals Bordeaux
2WAY Bag Mini Natural

The Bordeaux sandals have a sophisticated, grown-up feel.
They pair nicely with gold accents or all-leather items,
giving the whole look an elegant finish.

Clockwise from top left:

Paikaji Gradation
Knirps Folding Umbrella Fiber T2 Duomatic (Country Granat) 
Leather Strap Sandals Bio
3-Day Travel Bag (Carry Case) 

The duckfeet sandals are light and compact,
making them great for short trips too.
You could also pack them inside your bag while traveling.

With leather flat shoes, keeping them clean allows you to enjoy
the natural changes in the leather's texture over time.
The basic care routine consists of brushing, removing dirt, moisturizing, and color restoration.
Please care for them about once every two to three weeks.

■ Care Instructions

First, gently brush the leather with a shoe brush
to remove large dust particles and dirt.
If needed, apply a cleaning solution to a cotton cloth and wipe the leather clean.

Next, spread leather cream as thinly as possible
over the leather. This moisturizes the leather.
After applying the cream, let the shoes dry in a well-ventilated place away from direct sunlight.
Since the El Naturalista shoes have removable insoles,
take out the insoles at this point and let them dry thoroughly as well.
Finish by gently buffing with a dry cloth, and the care process is complete.

Finally, applying a waterproof spray afterward will help prevent dirt from sticking the next time you wear them.

Please note that both EL NATURALISTA and duckfeet repairs
are handled by their domestic import distributor in Japan.
If you would like repairs, please contact the import distributor using the information below.

EL NATURALISTA El Viajero: Insole replacement
duckfeet Leather Strap Sandals: Full sole replacement

Import distributor Seed Corporation — Contacthere