Peshawari chappal a buzzword with arrival of Eid

PESHAWAR: The Peshawari Chappal has become a buzzword with the arrival of Eidul Fitr as the shops in the provincial capital attracted huge crowds of shoppers.

People from various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other areas of the country flocked to the shops selling the traditional footwear in the provincial capital, mainly in Jehangirpura Bazaar, Qissa Khwani and Namak Mandi.

There was a booming market for these leather-made shoes in Peshawar, where many store owners employed additional employees to fill orders.Discussing the business, a shopkeeper in Jehangirpura said that they suffered due to the coronavirus pandemic in the past years. He added that the low cost and durability were the main reasons behind an overwhelming public response to Peshawari Chappals on this Eid this year.

“We work till Sehr to finish the pressing orders of our clients for this Eid,” he added.Skilled cobblers and shoemakers work around the clock in Jahangirpura Bazaar to meet the urgent demands of the Eid buyers from KP, Punjab and Karachi.

To become a final product, a single pair of Peshawari and Charsadda Chappal goes through several phases through the expert hands. Its sole is flattened with a rubber piece in the first stage, while a piece of leather is stitched in the second stage, and then the piece is fitted with the sole in the third stage.

The fifth procedure is stuffing the pair with a piece of wood to stretch and secure all the thread, leather, and nails that had been sewn together to assemble the shoe and give it a lasting finish.

The workers then paint the piece’s border with a particular chemical as part of the finishing touches that include polishing and varnishing to enhance its appearance. A piece is later given finishing touches in the sixth step, which includes polishing and varnishing to enhance its appearance and artists painting its border with a chosen chemical for a greater shine.

“A pair of the Peshawari leather shoes is being sold in the local market for Rs3,000 to Rs3,500 per piece, depending on quality and durability. People like these chappals as these are durable and cost-effective compared to foreign brand footwear,” stated a shoe-maker. He said people gift the traditional footwear to relatives and friends in various parts of Pakistan and these are exported to the Gulf and other countries as well.