Lapti* are Russian shoes woven out of wooden bast and worn by Russian peasants and village people in the past.

       These simple and comfortable bast shoes have always been a symbol of poor rural life. That is why sometimes a peasant or a Russian “redneck” can be called a lapotnik in Russian.

       Lapti were never worn on bare feet. Before putting lapti on, one had to wrap feet in puttees - strips of cloth worn wound around the feet. Lapti were the most convenient shoes for village people who could not afford buying expensive leather shoes. They could be warm and easy to wear in winter, and cool in summer. However, most people had special lapti for winter and for summer. Winter bast shoes were wider, so that the feet could be wrapped in more  puttees for warmth. Sometimes these shoes were decorated for holidays and street festivities. If lapti were worn out and had holes in them, people would throw them away or repair them.

       Lapti can be made of different types of wood bast. Those that were made of elm wood were considered to be the most beautiful ones. They were soaked in hot water which makes elm wood pinker. However, the cheapest and most common bast shoes were made of lime wood. Weaving them is not an easy craft. Even the most quick-fingered masters could make no more than 5 pairs of bast shoes per day.

       Lapti can be a great present for a souvenir hunter. They are extremely hard to find anywhere else other than in Russia, and bast shoes of good quality can be considered a real piece of art from Russia. Even though, people do not wear them any more, lapti are used as decorations in a Russian household and can be found in most souvenir stores. So if you are traveling to Russia, lapti can serve as a good memory from this country.

       *The word “lapti” is plural for “lapot'” (one bast shoe).