Wooden Footwear

One of the most original items to take back home from Amsterdam are clogs, Holland's traditional wooden shoes. Clogs date as far back as 1367, probably even older, and have been worn as daily footwear ever since. In Holland's wet and cold climate, only clogs will keep your feet dry and warm at all times. And they're more comfortable than you would think! Dutch clogs are available in many tourist shops. Wearing clogs is considered to be healthy for the feet. Though there are some Dutch who don't use clogs anymore for everyday use, but clogs are still used by people working in their gardens, and by planters.


Clogs are made of balsa-white poplar wood. The trees are especially grown for this purpose. For a perfect pair of clogs you need fresh, wet wood, cut in square blocks. The wood is then chopped and smoothed in the right shape. To last a long time, finished clogs are painted. Traditional clogs are painted yellow with a red pattern. Each village used to have its own pattern. Clogs for daily wear are still yellow and red and souvenir clogs are painted in a large variety of patterns and colors, varying from flowers to entire street scenes.