Our clog master, Christer, started working at the factory when he was 13 years old; helping his father, Sven.
Working at his father’s side, the skills of handcrafting clogs were passed down from one generation to the next. Over the years, that dedication to the profession resulted in the creation of what “must be over thousands and thousands of clogs!” Christer remarked with a laugh.
“During the 70s when the clog trend was huge, we made so many pairs,” he said. “If you ask a Swede from this time, everyone will tell a story about wearing wooden clogs.”
And Tokyo, a style still made by Sandgrens today, was among the most popular styles back then. In fact, Christer favors the style so much that he wears a pair almost every day while he works.
“Clogs are comfortable, beautiful and made of natural materials,” said Christer, adding that he’d want for everyone to own a pair. “I want the clog trend to stay, but in the old tradition of making them.”
Contrary to fast fashion, where all of the shoes and clothes appear the same and are made by a machine, Christer emphasizes the Sandgrens’ distinction of making each pair by hand.
Today, he mostly lests and staples the clogs.
And it takes years of experience and might to make the perfect lest as Christer does. “It requires skill, technique and strength in your hands,” he explained.
As a clog master, quality is of the utmost importance. If there is a scratch, a seam or staple that is not perfect, it won’t leave the factory.
“Everyone who works here has an eye for detail,” he said. “No pair looks the same, and it can’t, because we are working with natural materials.
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