Why we stitch our soles
A glued sole cannot be replaced; a stitched one can be replaced many times. That is the whole difference.
Breaking in a pair of Kolhapuris
Real bark-tanned Kolhapuris start stiff and end up shaped to your foot: here is how to get through the first week.
A genuine Kolhapuri is made from buffalo leather tanned with babul bark. That leather is thick and firm, which is why the sandal lasts for years, and also why the first week can be uncomfortable.
Wear new Kolhapuris for an hour or two a day at home, on a hard floor, for the first five days. Do not take them on a long walk straight out of the box. If the toe ring rubs, press it gently outward with your thumb a few times; the leather will hold the new shape.
A few drops of coconut oil rubbed into the straps, not the footbed, will soften them faster. Let the oil soak in overnight before you wear them again. Avoid water: bark-tanned leather darkens and hardens if soaked, and can stain your feet.
By the second week the footbed will have taken the print of your foot, and the straps will have relaxed. At that point the pair is truly yours, and should last two to three monsoons with care.
