Saphir shoelaces: an ancestral savoir-faire for an exceptional quality

Tying our shoelaces is such a daily gesture that it has become automatic. We never wonder about the origin of these particular ties that add a touch of elegance to our shoes. What if we took a closer look at them, for once? Where are they from? How are they made? What stories do they hold?

Shoelaces have always existed. The oldest historical evidence of them was discovered in 1991: during an excursion in the Austrian Alps, German hikers came face to face with the mummy of a man who would later be named Ötzi, who had died around the year 3255 BC, in the Bronze Age. On Ötzi’s feet were deerskin shoes in perfect condition, fastened with leather laces.  

The History of lacing up
Laced shoes existed in the Neolithic era, too. In ancient times, the Etruscans and Romans wore them. In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, laces were made not only of leather or natural materials, but also of luxurious fibres like silk, to adorn the shoes of nobles. In the 18^th century, the manufacturing of shoelaces was perfected thanks to wooden or iron looms: they became stronger and finer. Finally, in the 19^th century, the development of the steam engine contributed to the emergence of a true shoelace-making industry. 

“It’s curious how pleasant it is to retie one’s shoelaces. Especially when they are already untied when you start.”

Philippe Delerm, The Small Pleasures of Life, 1997

Today, Saphir shoelaces are made in France. In these workshops, an ancestral craftsmanship is perpetuated, producing shoelaces of exceptional quality. Available in various sizes to fit all types of shoes, Saphir shoelaces are made of braided cotton. They are flexible, which makes them particularly suited for leather shoes. They are still made in a traditional way, using 19^th-century wooden looms and a “slow braiding” technique. Producing 5 meters of shoelace requires one hour of work – a low yield that emphasises quality over quantity. Indeed, compared to faster modern looms, which significantly stretch and weaken cotton fibres, the slow pace of these old looms allows for greater delicacy: fibres are preserved and shoelaces are stronger, as their braiding is finer and tighter.

The refinement of a glazed finish
Once woven, Saphir shoelaces are glazed with a solution made of different natural ingredients, including corn starch. This artisanal treatment gives them a leather-like appearance, and an additional layer of protection and durability. Once glazed, the lace is more resistant to friction, and to the daily wear from the eyelets of the shoe. However, it’s not finished yet: aglets must be applied – they are short, rigid tubes that seal the braiding at each end. On Saphir laces, aglets are round. They are made by hand, by braiding the lace threads around a cylindrical “core”, which itself consists of a braided cord. The aglet provides the finishing touch to the artisanal production of this accessory, whose value is both eminently aesthetic and absolutely practical: what if the shoelace was the ultimate embodiment of functional elegance, and of the beauty of everyday objects and actions? All you have to do is to thread it through each eyelet and then tie it into a neat bow, perfectly perpendicular to your shoe. To secure it firmly without having to make a double knot, start with a basic loop but make two turns before passing it through again and tightening it.

“As she bent down to tie her shoelaces, I watched the sway of her hair, the shine of her curls, and I wondered how such a mundane gesture could be both so poetic and so revealing of her personality.”
Yasmina Reza, Desolation, 1999

 

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