The luxury slippers specialist

We live in a world of online mass-produced items, where manufacturing in huge quantities fulfils a worldwide demand.

So it’s not surprising to discover that according to industry experts, in 2021, over 2.14 billion people worldwide bought goods and services online.

However, many more of us are embracing the beauty and quality of a beautifully crafted item made with love.

So why is handcrafted better? In our helpful article, we will delve into the world of the quality small batch and find out!

First, before we find 13 reasons why handcrafted pieces are better, let’s find out the brief answer.

Why is handcrafted better? Handcrafted items are unique, made by expert craftsmen and no two items are the same. A handcrafted piece is as individual as we are. Handcrafted items are created with expertise, love, and meaning. Buying a handcrafted item promotes family connections and a greener more sustainable lifestyle.

So with the brief answer in mind, let’s start our journey of why handcrafted is better, let’s get into details.

Let’s start with one of the major reasons many of us are turning to handcrafted goods.

Unique

As the manufacturing process's main objective is to turn out identical items, one of the joys of items made lovingly by craftsmen is their unique quality.

Every time you buy an item made by knowledgeable and expert craftsmen, you can guarantee every item is one-of-kind and individual.

A handcrafted piece beautifully encapsulates:

• Colour
• Texture
• Shape
• Design
• Grain
• Detail

The personal touches added during the design process allow the artist to impart each piece with its personality

This accentuates the charm of handmade and allows each one-of-a-kind creation to be a true work of art.

Here at loungers we are proud that every pair of our luxury handcrafted shoes is as individual as you are.

Made with love

Another joy of investing in quality handcrafted pieces is that you can guarantee every single item is made with love & attention by someone who cares about what they make.

Those who produce handcrafted items have a deep connection with the story of their original artistry.

This kind of emotional relationship between the craftsman and his unique work breathes life and love into every handcrafted item you buy.

There is almost always a compelling story behind any handcrafted item which can be anything from

A long-standing family tradition, through to simply the joy of crafting and the love of working with beautiful materials.

Handcrafted Products Are Green.

Work done by hand impacts our earth in a much more positive way than the mass production of an assembly line.

Environmentally sustainable handcrafted businesses help consumers make the right choice, not only for style and quality but also for the growing number of customers who respect provenance and need to know they are making a responsible and ethical choice.

Often, handcrafted items use local or natural materials with fewer air miles and leave less carbon footprint.

This makes handcrafted better for shoppers looking to buy goods made in a more earth-conscious manner.

Job market

So are there any other reasons by handcrafted are better and why by quality handcrafted products made with love?

According to a recent study, increasing consumer spending on locally owned businesses, would create hundreds of new jobs and millions of dollars in local wages.

Family connections

One of the crucial benefits of choosing a handcrafted piece is the connection with our artisan partners.

Each piece holds a story of the men and women who learned the art of their craft from their parents.

Deeper relationships where crafting has developed over not just one generation, but multiple generations who learned the family skill and craft, alongside the story of their parents, who learned from theirs.

The joy of a handcrafted item means we as consumers hear those stories straight from the artisans, bringing the product to life.

Feel-Good Factor

A big box store is never going to replicate that intimate and personal shopping experience which consumers buy into every time they purchase a handcrafted piece.

Our value and self-worth increase every time we help an artisan fulfil their dream.

Be proud to buy handcrafted by supporting family businesses and know that your purchase supports local industry.

Take pleasure in knowing you are helping to keep specialized industries alive.

Quality

Mass-produced items are made as cheaply as possible to maximize profits.

Exceptional quality for money is only achieved when buying handcrafted items from skilled artisans.

Craftsmen typically use the highest quality materials which are often hand-picked locally sourced.

Hours are spent on painstaking attention to detail and perfecting each piece.

There will never be any kind of comparison between a beautiful handcrafted item that has been shaped by human hands.

Here at loungers, our craftsman uses the softest and beautiful black butter-soft calfskin to create the unique, Accelerator men’s slipper.

Creativity

A creative spark is what drives an artist's passion, fulfilment, and enthusiasm for their skill.

Handcrafting luxury pieces is a perfect way for artisans to express individuality and imagination.

By striving both as makers and patrons to not only create but also purchase handcrafted goods, we are giving a platform for talent and self-expression.

Customization

The custom-designed expression which comes from the heart is one of the true ways handcrafted is better than mass-produced goods.

Many makers and artisans love working closely with their customers and are usually able to accommodate requests which give your piece customization and become tailor-made.

Artisan pieces from master craftsmen give a product of gift which is a direct expression from the heart.

Keeping tradition alive

Many expert artisans and makers use skills and techniques which are rooted in history and in a time before mass production.

Craftsmanship and quality were important as were the dedication and skill of creators.

Here at loungers we boast more than a century of dedicated and skilled shoemakers who are continuing to bring their beautifully crafted indoor shoes to discerning customers.

Often in manufactured products,  many money and labor-saving shortcuts wires are employed which loses the rich cultural heritage and tradition found in a handcrafted piece.

When buying handcrafted you can guarantee that time-honored skills, methods, materials, and traditional ways of working will continue.

“Here at loungers we boast more than a century of dedicated and skilled shoemakers who are continuing to bring their beautifully crafted indoor shoes to discerning customers.”

Eco-Friendly

Any handcrafted item made by skilled craftsmen and artisans is usually made by their own hands.

This conserves energy, reduces the need for large production chemicals and waste.

Handcrafted items of all kinds are often designed and implemented using greener processes and offer recyclable and more sustainable packaging.

By choosing items that have been made by artisans, you can be sure handcrafted is better for a sustainable future.

Local Artisan Support

Often by consuming more handcrafted products you are supporting either an individual or a small family concern.

By choosing to buy their traditional, beautifully designed, and unique items you are investing vital capital directly into your community.

Artisans have invested their heart, skill, and vision into each piece. When customers buy from a craftsman, you are not only complimenting and understanding their vision, you are actively encouraging them to keep following their dream and continuing excellence in a trade they love.

By supporting local artisans, you are investing money back into the community where you live, which is vital in today’s economy

Handmade Means Love

A true craftsman or artisan brings their passion into every single item they create.

Painstaking individual attention to every piece is what helps to make every piece unique and beautiful.

This passion for crafting shows the world the love of the craftsman for his creation.

When buying pieces from such skilled and enthusiastic artisans, this love is being brought to life and shines through every single item they create.

And to finish on…

Handmade goes deeper than retail. Handmade pieces show the power of the human spirit and its propensity to create.

When you support artisan-made pieces, you also support the craft skill they practice. Supporting skills like silversmithing, basket weaving, and shoemaking, we are helping them to pass the skills to the next generation.

Here at loungers, we pride ourselves on our family team of dedicated and skilled craftsmen who bring you the most beautifully designed luxury indoor shoes for men and women.

Inspired by the British lifestyle and crafted with the quality of exceptional Italian footwear

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Feeling relaxed after a hard day is one of life’s simple pleasures. Whether it’s luxuriating in a warm bath, nestling into a freshly made bed, or sliding your feet into some beautifully crafted lounge slippers. But where do slippers come from? Did they simply evolve as our lives became more contemporary or have they always been there to relax and help rejuvenate after a busy day? So in our useful article, we will cover all the background and origin of your favorite comfortable footwear!

Slippers as we know them in our modern world may have been invented by Florence Melton or Alvin Slipper. Early Cantabrian cave paintings show the earliest slippers. Vietnamese slippers date back to the 12th century. The Middle East, Persia, Arabia, and Italy also developed soft slippers.

With the short answer in mind, let’s start with a little bit of background on the role of the slipper and where it all first started for the comfortable indoor shoe we are familiar with.

Who invented the first slipper?

Although we have a good idea where slippers, as we know them in our contemporary lives, began, there is a little uncertainty as to who can claim the discovery. Some information declares that they were invented during World War II during the 1940s. Florence Melton was at the time working on materials suitable to improve helmets worn by servicemen. While working on the project, she discovered that foam due to its durability, softness, and ease of washing was the perfect material for not only comfort for the heads of soldiers, but also their feet! Her discovery led to the invention of the first foam soled and washable slipper, under a popular brand that is still available today.

Alvin Slipper

Other anecdotal evidence suggests that Alvin Slipper came up with the idea of slippers, lounge and indoor shoes simply because he was tired of having cold feet! Although we love that explanation, it’s possible it may just be an urban myth. So now we’ve found a few individuals who might be responsible for the modern house shoe, let’s take a dive back in history to find out more about the origin of slippers.

Read on to find out more!

Origins of the slipper

Although the word ‘slipper’ was first recorded in English in 1478, it seems as if the slipper has been around for much longer! If we take a step back to Spain around 150,000 years ago we may have stumbled upon the first type of slipper seen by man!

Cantabrian cave art

The Discovery of Spanish cave art in the Eastern Cantabrian region north of the Iberian Peninsula shows humans dressed in animal skins with animal fur strapped to their feet. It’s nice to think that although the real reason for this would be to protect their feet outdoors, they would also make for a warm cosy cave slipper too!

Boscombe Down

At Boscombe Down, archaeological digs have excavated a wealth of interesting and important  Roman finds and artefacts. During one particular excavation in 2008, one particular discovery made the news headlines. A body exhumed discovers a woman curled up with a young child wearing slippers. This historical discovery suggests that slippers have their origins as far back as 200AD. This interesting uncovering shows the bodies found were of high status as the main bulk of the other 300 bodies were dressed for their journey into the next life wearing traditional boots.

12th Century Vietnam

So whether we think modern slippers may have been the discoveries of Slipper, Melton, or from as far back as the cave dwellers, one of the first recordings of a slippers dates back to 12th century Vietnam. Although in our modern age we see slippers as a motif for relaxing and moments of calm, to the female servants of rich sultans they were simply a symbol of slavery and captivity. The soft soles of silk slippers worn by the domestic attendants were made purposefully soft. This was so they couldn’t safely negotiate the Ricky terrains in the world outside.

The babouche

Many centuries later, this rather sinister reason for indoor shoes of slippers was developed further in the Middle East. The original babouche was an ultra-soft slipper and inspired by the style of an open-back sandal. The word babouche comes from the Persian ‘Papuch’ or possibly the Arabic ‘Babush. The main feature of a babouche is the exaggerated point at the front of the slipper.

Ultra-soft slippers

The particular softness of the babouche stems from the process by which it is made. It’s cleaned and dried repeatedly until it meets the ultimate level of softness. As a babouche was such a beautifully soft slipper, it was said to reflect the opulence of its wearers. These were mainly kings or 17th-century French courtiers. These monarchs and nobles led luxurious lifestyles who were tended to footmen and gophers who made sure the sumptuously soft indoor shoes remained in perfect condition.

Babouche in modern times

Artisan babouche slippers are still made nowadays in markets across Marrakech, Morocco, and remain a cultural icon. The babouche retains its place amongst the world's most soft and beautiful handcrafted slippers as they were named 2016’s ‘must-have’ shoe.

The Furlane

While the middle east was busy designing and creating their ultra-soft indoor shoes, across the continents to Italy, slippers were being developed for another use. The comfort of a slipper combined with a rubber sole made from old bicycle tires made sure 16th century Gondoliers were comfortable, did not slip the wet interiors of their boats. They were also perfect for protecting the surfaces they stood on. This slipper became known as the Venetian Furlane.

The Furlanewas made from velvet curtains

The upper was made from velvet. This was usually in the form of old clothes or curtains. This chic touch preserves the refined quality of the Venetian culture. A practical and also attractive slipper that is still in use to this day. These useful but elegant slippers are still made by hand which gives authenticity and also keeps the handcrafted slippers legacy and rich history. In a nod to that ancient tradition here at Loungers, some of our beautifully crafted indoor shoes retain this heritage in our expertly handcrafted luxury Bordeaux Velvet slipper

The Prince Albert slipper

As we moved through the centuries and across the water to England, elegant velvet slippers continued to develop during Victorian times. The ‘Prince Albert Slipper’ was named after Queen Victoria’s husband who initiated this elegant lounge slipper made from the finest velvet. These exquisite indoor shoes were lined with silk with a soft leather sole and were worn by members of the aristocracy. Along with a dinner suit, ‘Prince Albert slippers’ were used by the elite to move elegantly between rooms in stately homes, before, during, and after dinner. They were also seen by the best dressed in smoking rooms and exclusive men’s clubs. So much so, they were also known as ‘smoking shoes’. Worn by Hollywood legends such as Douglas Fairbanks and Peter Lawford they became even more popular during the 1940s and 1950s.

And finally…

Here at loungers we are proud to keep the craft of handmade slippers and lounge shoes relevant to this day. 3rd generation Italian shoemakers hand make our entire range of sumptuous luxury indoor shoes with painstaking detail, high-quality locally sourced fabrics, and exceptional artisanship. Our elegant range of best quality indoor shoes made of the finest leathers and velvet for a luxury feel with a modern eco-friendly ethos. Browse our full collection here.

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With so many styles of lounge slippers on the market these days, sometimes it’s hard to tell whether they are indoor shoes, slippers or suitable for the outdoors.

Not to mention whether wearing your slippers outside can have other issues on your flooring and even your health!

With fabrics such as soft nappa leather, fur sliders and suede boot types, it can be tricky to know if you can use them to pad around your yard or whether they are strictly indoors only!

In our helpful article today, we will answer the question once and for everyone who asks ‘can you wear slippers outside.’

Let’s start with the mini take away first, so you make sure your beautifully designed indoor shoes and slippers are kept as beautiful as they were when you first bought them.

Generally you shouldn’t wear slippers outside as soft leather or other fine fabric will become damaged if worn outside for any length of time. Some bootie style, sliders or indoor shoes with  rubber soles can be worn. Avoid rain or other inclement conditions.

Ok so now we’ve got the short answer in mind, let’s start by discovering a little more and begin with discovering how wearing craftsman made quality leather shoes amongst others indoors only will protect your floors.

One of the chief reasons for wearing soft, handcrafted luxury indoor shoes, other than the beautiful feel of slipping your feet into sumptuous velvet after a hard day, is to protect your feet from contact with the floor.

So does wearing slippers outside have any hygiene issues?

Read on to discover more..

Is it safe to wear slippers outside?

In a recent study, you may be surprised to discover that any type of footwear worn outside then worn indoors is a hotbed of possible health issues.

Experts who studied this found a dangerously high level of microbiological pathogens identified from shoe soles.

Another study by researchers at the University of Arizona found astonishingly that the average shoe sole is covered with 421,000 bacteria and that 90 percent of those bacteria transfer directly to a clean tile floor on first contact.

So by simply popping outside in indoor shoes and slippers just for even just a short while, you are inviting all kinds of potential bacteria into your home.

“the average shoe sole

 contains 421,000 bacteria and that 90 percent transfer directly to a clean floor”

Will wearing slippers outside damage my floors?

Aside from the blissful feeling of sliding your tired feet into a pair of gorgeous Italian hand crafted luxury indoor shoes just like ours here at loungers, the other reason most people wear slippers at home is to help protect the flooring in their home.

Wearing your slippers outside and keeping the same pair indoors can cause issues with your carpet, wooden flooring and also scratch tiles.

Even if you just pop out to the yard for a moment, you could pick up all kinds of debris such as leaves, little stones and even bugs on your slippers.

Slippers that aren’t saved purely for relaxing in your home after a busy day, can permanently mark all kinds of flooring and might leave your carpet with nasty stains that are impossible to remove.

 

“Wearing your slippers outside

 and keeping the same pair indoors can cause issues with your carpet, wooden flooring and also scratch tiles.”

Ok, so now we’ve realized that wearing slippers outside could not only damage your interior flooring, it might also bring unwanted germs and other visitors into your home, let’s find out the consequences of wearing slippers outdoors on how long they might last..

If I wear slippers outside, will they wear out?

Another issue for those wondering if you can wear slippers outside is that if you do, they will most likely wear out very quickly.

Traditional slippers and lounge-type are often made of delicate or luxury materials such as

sumptuous bordeaux tech velvet, like our iconic

Serenity Men’s Slipper.

Slippers should be soft and comfortable.

Slippers have traditionally been crafted to be as soft and comfortable as possible, right down to the soles.

The standard design idea of any lounge slipper is a comfortable shoe that is lightweight, easy to wear, easy to get on and off, and just simply comforting.

Slipper soles are generally soft for comfort

Usually, the sole of a slipper is soft for maximum relaxation and comfort, along with protecting interior flooring.

Walking outside in a very soft sole can feel very hard on your feet, similar to walking barefoot or even cause you to slip..

However, some types with a more rigid sole, such as our Men’s Serenity Slipper, uses an innovative technology called ‘ hydrogrip’ which was originally created for orthopedics, sports, and even rock climbing!

This specialized sole has a superb non-slip sole even on uneven and slippery surfaces.

 

“Walking outside in a very soft sole

can feel very hard on your feet, similar to walking barefoot.”

Most slippers aren’t designed for extreme weather conditions

Another issue is simply weather conditions.

Rain or more extreme weather such as snow is not good conditions for slippers of any variety as they don’t have the sturdiness and weatherproofing as many outdoor shoes.

Are slippers comfortable to wear outside?

Anyone who has invested in top-quality lounge slippers made of buttery soft Nappa leather or any other design of indoor shoe might find some styles a little uncomfortable taking them to the great outdoors.

If your slipper has a delicate or fine sole, you could find yourselves with not only a hole in them but painful sticks and stones lodging in the undersides.

Here at loungers we are proud of our unique soles which are non-slip and hard-wearing.

Are any slippers comfortable to wear outside?

The only kind of indoor shoe or slipper that might be ok to hit the great outdoors in is those which have sturdy soles.

These might often be the Australian style bootee, a ‘pool slider’, or the best quality indoor shoes.

Some of the best indoor shoes and slippers combine not only a relaxing luxury experience but also a hard-wearing sole. 

Many inferior slippers or those generally described as ‘bedroom slippers’ will generally have a less substantial sole.

“Some of the best indoor shoes and slippers combine not only a relaxing luxury experience but also a hard-wearing sole.”

And finally…

We hope that has fully answered the question once and for all as to whether you can wear slippers outside!  Our beautiful collection has the best soles for outdoor wear, but make sure you avoid rainfall and wintry weather if you want to keep your loungers indoor shoes in the best condition.

If you are looking for beautifully chic stylish lounge slippers made from luxurious fabrics and soft leathers, don’t forget to check out our store.

Third-generation Italian shoemakers have handcrafted each pair with dedication and skill to bring you superior quality lounge slippers.

Loungers is a modern eco-friendly brand that has a lifelong commitment to responsible manufacturing which means zero waste.

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