A klomp (plural klompen) is a whole-foot

clog Clogs are a type of footwear made in part or completely from wood. Used in many parts of the world, their forms can vary by culture, but often remained unchanged for centuries within a culture. Traditional clogs remain in use as protective fo ...

from the

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. Along with tulips and windmills, they are strongly associated with the country and are considered to be a national symbol of the Netherlands.

Usage

Approximately three million pairs of klompen are made each year. They are sold throughout the Netherlands. A large part of the market is for tourist souvenirs, though some Dutch people, particularly

farmers A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. The term usually applies to people who do some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, poultry, or other livestock. A farmer mig ...

and market gardeners, still wear them for everyday use. Outside the tourist industry, klompen can be found in local tool shops, local tourist shops and garden centers. The traditional all-wooden Dutch clogs have been officially accredited as safety shoes with the

CE mark On commercial products, the letters CE (as the logo ) mean that the manufacturer or importer affirms the good's conformity with European health, safety, and environmental protection standards. It is not a quality indicator or a certificat ...

and can withstand almost any penetration including sharp objects and concentrated acids. They are actually safer than steel-capped protective shoes in some circumstances, as the wood cracks rather than dents in extreme accidents, allowing easy removal of the clog and not continued pressure on the toes by the (edge of the) steel nose.Dutch Heritage
Retrieved on 1 November 2011

Manufacture

Klompen can be made from

willow Willows, also called sallows and osiers, from the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 400 speciesMabberley, D.J. 1997. The Plant Book, Cambridge University Press #2: Cambridge. of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist so ...

or poplar.

Notes

References

* 'Dutch Heritage. Wooden Shoes', archived from: http://www.dutchdna2011.com/en/Homepage/Dutch-Heritage/Culture/Wooden-Shoes.htm * Wiedijk, F., ''Wooden Shoes of Holland'' (2000)

External links

Netherlands Association of Clogmakers (NVK)
{{Use dmy dates, date=January 2017 Clogs (shoes)

Usage

Manufacture

See also

Notes

References

External links