What Moccasins We Craft & Teach

Moccasins, as we make them, are very soft shoes. Some call them (ultra) minimalist or barefoot shoes. For us, they're mostly comfortable, practical, and all-purpose footwear.

The tradition of moccasins is not only Native American, as leather shoes have been worn all around the globe for millions of years. The variety of soft leather footwear that was found throughout history is incredible, since each ethnic group developed their own designs according to their needs and resources over a long period…

Our designs are made to fit men and women, and all purposes of modern life. We wear them all year round, as slippers or hiking shoes, in the garden or in town, except, it's true when it's too cold and rainy…

We tested them over the years and throughout our travels in the most extreme climates. We lived in the hot and humid weather of Indonesia and North Australia as well as in the rocky, sandy, and dry lands of the volcanic islands of Canaries, and now in the temperate weather of France with all its season changes and cold winters.

Rich from these experiences, we can confidently say that we have never found better footwear for that:
- it respects the natural balance of our feet and body
- it is odorless and highly breathable
- it is extremely soft and light but totally protective at the same time 
- it is zero-drop and gives high sensory feedback
- it is durable and repairable
- it it fast to make and doesn't require machinery
- it is made from natural and eco-friendly material
- and more...

 

Because they are entirely made of leather and each pair is tailored, wearing moccasins feels almost like being barefoot. The leather we use is so soft that some say it feels like wearing velvet socks. Despite this, one should not worry about the sturdiness of such shoes, since the thick bull-calf leather we use is extremely resistant to weather and wear. Of course, the single layer of leather that stands between you and the ground can wear out, but it is not an issue since an outer sole in leather or a thin rubber crepe can easily be glued. That means you can also replace it as many times as needed over the years. (We teach our customers to do it themselves to keep it easy and economical).
 

Since 2016, we have made and sold hundreds, if not thousands of moccasins. We custom-make them locally for craft markets and medieval fairs, but also to ship worldwide. When we don't have the opportunity to meet in person, we ask for pictures of the feet, a few measurements, and a scan of the outline of the feet. From there, we draw an individual pattern for each online customer to ensure the best possible fit.

Simultaneously, we offer everyone the chance to learn the skill of moccasin-making with our video and PDF tutorials.

The Runners Moccasins Video Course

What's interesting is that one can follow our teachings and use our patterns even without prior experience in leather work or sewing. Yes, making shoes is accessible to all since making authentic moccasins only requires a minimum of hand tools: scissors to cut the leather, an awl to pierce it, wax thread, and a large needle to sew it. With a little practice, a pair can be achieved in just 2 or 3 hours.

The Tools For Moccasin-Making


But as we all know, finding shoe that really fit well can truly be a struggle, so how can one be sure that our patterns will work for them?

What makes our patterns different is that, they come in a large set of sizes based on the width of the foot and not the length. In practice, after choosing the right pattern size for the width of your feet, you (or we) would sew the front of the moccasin before sewing the heel perfectly to the right size after trying it on already. Therefore, our shoe patterns allow making moccasins for any morphology type (thin, normal, or wide feet…) and in any length.

The pictures here are for you to realize that even from the ready-made-patterns, it is possible to adjust the toe-shape to your needs. Of course, we don't expect beginners to do that, but after getting familiar with the craft, one could easily understand how to adapt the pattern on their own. If it was still too complicated for you, Lougaya can draw patterns on demand.

Printed Patterns for Moccasin Making

If ever your feet were really too “different” to fit our basic templates, we offer two options: an extensive tutorial to initiate you in drawing your own patterns or to order a custom-made pattern that we would draw just for you.

For children, a simple lacing system allows you to make “growing-shoes” so that even toddlers or teenagers can get through the year with just one pair.

To conclude, we offer a variety of ready-to-print patterns for children and adults to make different styles of low moccasins, sandals, boots, and house-shoes. These all come with step-by-step written and video tutorials that can be watched and replayed until you can repeat the same gesture and fully integrate this skill of moccasin-making.

We also supply complete kits with the leather and tools, so you can get started with everything in hand, without having to worry about finding the right leather or the right tools when you might know nothing about it all!

Overall, becoming your shoemaker can become very interesting, not just to save money or end the struggle of shopping for shoes, but above all for the comfort of having truly comfortable shoes! What's more, made from noble, natural, and breathable materials…

Becoming Moccasin Maker

So, all it takes is a bit of time and hand to start making shoes for yourself and, maybe, for the whole family…