Bloem is named after Bloemfontein, the capital city of the Orange Free State province. Bloemfontein directly translated from Afrikaans means flower fountain. Bloemfontein is poetically known as "the city of roses", for its abundance of these flowers and the annual rose festival held there. The city's Sesotho name is Mangaung, meaning "place of cheetahs".
Ethics First: We believe in building better shoes. That's why our Veldskoen are handcrafted with locally sourced premium materials, made with a compulsive eye for detail, a conscious mind, and an innovative approach to transparency with a desire to never stop improving and evolving.
Superior materials: All our materials are sourced locally. By sourcing locally we help support local businesses and communities and in turn reduce the carbon footprint by reducing transit and production times.
Comfort: Veldskoen will feel like butter on your feet. The leather naturally conforms and molds to your foot. After a few days of wear, they will feel like they are an extension of your foot.
Hand-stitched durability: Each Veldskoen is hand-stitched in South Africa by master shoemakers. This means individual care and attention is given to every shoe.
Brighten your sole: We offer a color to match any situation. From cruising the office to hiking through the bush without skipping a beat.
Smell the roses: Did you know leather is a natural deodorizer? Our shoes will have your feet smelling like a rose.
SPECS
Leather Uppers: Our Leather is sourced from a local tannery just outside of Cape Town. It is run by and employs the local community. We use a full-grain Proteus suede 1.8/2.0mm sustainably and ethically harvested as a byproduct from a meat tannery.
Veldskoen Sole: All our soles are made from 100% recyclable rubber compound that has an extended durability. It also has shorter cycle times, lower energy consumption, and less waste during manufacturing in effect slashing our greenhouse gas emissions.
Insoles: To create the most comfortable shoe, and to live up to our history as a shoe that is designed to be on your feet all day, we spared no expense in finding the very best combination of materials and manufacturing. We use a 4mm stitch down with high-density memory foam with a durable PU lining that creates the perfect padding and ultra-comfort for your feet.
Laces: Our laces are a 50/50 polyester cotton blend with a length of 70cm / 27 inches. The combination of the Polyester and Cotton blend creates a strong and flexible lace that will not break down and lasts longer than traditional laces.
Stitching: Our stitching is a semi waxed 100% polyester braided thread that is as strong as the shoe itself. We use double stitching on all high movement areas of the shoe for added strength.
