Creating Sustainable Footwear for the Maasai

Maasai footwear is primarily made out of rubber tyres. This footwear is a popular choice amongst Morans (Maasai warriors), as it is durable and comfortable for their lifestyle. 

The Morans walk long distances, on uneven ground, while grazing cattle. The sturdiness of the tyre allows people to walk long distances on tough terrains. The rubber footwear protects their feet and keeps them comfortable.

Zebidayo is a young Maasai who makes custom footwear and sells them at the Maasai market in the village of Nanja. He has been in this profession since he was 20 years old.

He shared that the tyres are sourced from local garbage dumps. These can be old discarded tyres or new ones that are defective.

To create one pair, he first measures the length of the foot against the tyre part and cuts out the excess rubber.

The edges and sides of the cut piece are then trimmed and curved.

The next step is to add straps to support the feet. The length of the straps depends on the measurement of the feet. To distinguish between the left and right footwear, one has to see which strap overlaps in the middle of the footwear.  If the strap on the right-hand side is above the one from the left side, then that footwear is for the right leg, and vice versa.

Once the position of the straps is decided as per the comfort of the customer, the straps are nailed down to the footwear.

The footwear is now ready to be worn. Zebidayo shared, “This footwear not only helps in recycling old tyres but is also sustainable and can last up to 5 years.”

It is now a popular choice amongst not only the Maasai but also many tourists. To make them more attractive, many people now add beadwork to their footwear.

Zebidayo sells about 3 to 10 shoes a day. He creates custom footwear for every one of his customers. People have can choose between a new or an old tyre as the base. He wants to save money and open a shop which he will name “Maasai Shop”. His life lesson is  “Don’t wait to get employed by someone, employ yourself”.