Luckily, the shoes themselves will stay comfortably and cleanly on your feet thanks to a traditional fabric-making technique.

Nara, Japan-based shoe company Yamatokobo specializes in traditionally crafted zori sandals for everyday life. Its newest pair of setta, a type of low-soled zori, was just released on April 7 and is already whipping up excitement among footwear enthusiasts.

The Matcha Setta are dyed using real Kyoto-produced Uji matcha that results in a strikingly rich green color. The fabric parts of the shoes are made from mixed cotton and hemp fibers while the soles are a mix of cork and synthetic rubber.

Not only will your feet stroll around in style, but they’ll also have a heightened cleanliness factor. Review from a third-party examiner determined that the tea dye results in a natural antibacterial property that protects against Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, with a final antibacterial rating of 3.1 (a 2.0 or over indicates antibacterial properties on this scale).

Furthermore, the sandal straps are crafted using Ojiya Chijimi fabric, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage representative summer kimono material made using 100-percent high-quality ramie produced in the area of Ojiya, Niigata Prefecture. The fabric’s tightly woven fibers are treated to a hot water bath as part of the production process that creates creases to prevent it from sticking to the skin of your feet for a pleasant, cooling feeling.

Men’s Matcha Setta sandals are 12,980 yen (US$82) and are available in three sizes: medium (25-25.5 centimeters/9.8-10 inches), large (26-26.5 centimeters), and extra large (27-27.5 centimeters).

Meanwhile, ladies’ Matcha Setta sandals are 12,650 yen and come in two sizes: medium (23-23.5 centimeters) and large (24.5-25 centimeters). They also feature a slight wedge with a heel height of 3.5 centimeters.

Both the men’s and the ladies’ versions of the Matcha Setta can be purchased on Yamatokobo’s official website here and here respectively. If you’re one of the millions that are head over heels for matcha around the world, you’ll be sure to make others green with envy when they see this novel use for tea.

Source, images: PR Times
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