NATURALLY MODERN: CREPE SOLES MADE OF NATURAL RUBBER

One of the most important trademarks of Grünbein are the light crepe soles made of natural rubber. But what is crepe actually?

One of the most important trademarks of Grünbein are the light crepe soles made of natural rubber. But what is crepe actually?

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Men and women love them equally: the soft crepe soles of many Grünbein shoes. Inspired by the retro style of the 60s and 70s, the Grünbein collection offers plenty of these modern classics. They simply belong with the popular desert boots and chukkas. Many other boots and low shoes also convince with the flat crepe sole made of natural rubber.

In the sixties, lace-up shoes with crepe soles were an integral part of the style of the hip mods of the time, and together with suit and parka they brought this casual look into the clubs and onto the streets. With the wave of sneakers from the nineties on, they were seen less and less often – cheap synthetic soles increasingly replaced the natural variation.

But in times of sustainability, more and more people are now discovering the advantages of natural crepe, and the trend is clearly moving towards natural materials. Also in fashion in general: Today you can wear natural crepe soles with jeans, chinos, skirts or shorts – they simply fit all occasions. Almost all: If you like high heels, you probably won’t get high on crepe soles.

Meticulously manufactured for excellent wearing

The unique natural material crepe is only available from a few shoe manufacturers: Grünbein offers one of the largest shoe collections with natural crepe soles. Our manufacturers in Portugal have the necessary expertise and many years of experience in the complex processing of this cost-intensive material.  

The high expenditure is impressive: Crepe soles made of 100% natural rubber offer particularly high shock absorption, are extremely durable, non-slip and natural rubber is even biodegradable. Compared to common synthetic variants, natural rubber is also much more durable. And no petrochemical products are used – in contrast to soles made of plastics, sole abrasion does not release any microplastics.

Important note: crepe soles must not come into contact with petrol or similar solvents. Even extreme heat can soften the rubber. So if you refuel in the desert, you should be careful.

Made from the milk of the rubber tree

Natural crepe is made of vulcanized, specially prepared rubber. The raw material used is taken from the rubber tree: by scoring the bark of the tree, the liquid, also known as latex, flows down the tree and is collected in containers. The collected latex is then brought to the coagulation stage. The resulting rubber runs through several grooved and smooth rollers before the large sheets of rubber, only a millimeter thick, are hung up to dry. Several sheets are laid on top of each other and laminated until they reach the desired thickness. Finally, the crepe soles are cut from them. You see: natural crepe is a great product that requires a lot of work!