Last weekend, like every year in June, Lloseta at the foot of the Tramuntana mountains not far from Inca celebrated a Fira de Sa Sabata (shoe market).
In the old days at the beginning of the 20th century, coal mining was of importance in this very town in the heart of the comarca called Es Raiguer. Mining was replaced by the art of shoemaking and other products of the leather industry here and in nearby Inca during the first half of the 20th century. The crafting of shoes by hand later gave way to automation. Nowadays cheap shoe imports from China compete with Mallorca’s shoemakers on price.
Today, the village of Lloseta and its 6,000 inhabitants suffer a bit under noise and air pollution due to the massive cement works in the vicinity which is a shame really.
A Festival de Poesia Lloseta 2009 will commence today (June 10th, at 21h00) and will have its highlight on Saturday (June 13th, at 21h00) with a Festa de la Paraula, believe it or not.
The photo (top) was taken in Lloseta, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: June 7th, 2009. The time was 12:46:54. The photograph (bottom) was probably taken during the late 1950s, according to Guillem Coll, founder of Calzados Coll, bespoke shoemakers in Lloseta. Guillem is the gentleman wearing glasses in the black & white photograph. Molts gràcies.
Reason to be cheerful for the Mallorca Daily Photo Blog too: today marks the second anniversary of this blog. That’s 732 blog entries, one for every day. A thank you very much to all of my loyal followers and of course, to everyone just popping in. Let’s see where this journey will take us.
The Mallorca Photo Blog 
Congratulations with your second anniversary. You have a wonderful blog! As a Mallorca fan I regularly visit your blog. Thank you for guiding me in Mallorca’s history.
Anniversary congratulations also from me, a former resident of Palma, who loves the city and the Island very much. Sharon.
Yes, I also am enjoying this web site and will be back. I’m a boot maker from Oregon, USA.
Believe it or not I have found an old pair of shoes while out digging around in a hill in the woods behind my house. I found some really old bottles as well. I am wondering if anyone knows when nails were stopped being used to attach the sole of the shoe to the upper part of the shoe. One of the shoes sole is loose and I noticed the tiny nails. Just trying to date the pair. You can email me at Allredbeebop (at) yahoo.com
Thanks
Does anyone know how I can contact these fine craftsmen in Mallorca ? I want to have shoes made for myself and my Wife but we cannot find out where to find shoemakers here ?! Please – is there a trade directory ?
hi keith,
it should be possible to find a trade directory. perhaps you could contact the . or else, go to lloseta and ask for one of the smaller shoe factories of which there are at least six or eight. there was a just about a week ago in lloseta. pitty you didn’t go there. you could also go to the shoe museum in inca. they should be able to give you a contact.
If you like “Sebago” type mocassins you could contact a small factory that survives in Mancor de la Vall, Rexac’s Artesanos, S.L., perhaps they would accept a small order. They can do other things but I would rely on them especially to make solid honest mocassins in a variety of widths, soles and leathers. You can ask for Joan, who is the young fellow who is in charge now. Tel.971 50 18 79
Thank you so very much for your very kind reply to my question. The information is very much appreciated.