An original Kolhapuri chappal is made by hand, entirely from leather, in one of the eight districts covered by the Kolhapuri Chappal GI: Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara and Solapur in Maharashtra, and Belagavi, Dharwad, Bagalkot and Vijayapura in Karnataka. To check a pair, look at five things: the leather, the stitching, the sole, the name it is sold under, and whether the seller can tell you who made it and where. Most fakes fail at least two of these within a minute.
Original or look-alike: the quick table
| Check | Original Kolhapuri | Look-alike |
|---|---|---|
| Leather | Vegetable-tanned, with visible natural grain | Plastic-like finish, uniform shine, or synthetic |
| Stitching | Hand-stitched, small irregularities | Glued only, or perfectly even machine stitching |
| Sole | Layers of leather, stitched together | Moulded rubber or foam |
| Feel when new | Firm; softens with wear | Soft and squashy straight out of the box |
| Smell | Mild, earthy leather | Chemical, glue or plastic |
| Left and right | Slightly different from each other | Identical |
| Name | "Kolhapuri chappal" | "Kolhapuri-style", "Kolhapuri-inspired", "Kolhapuri design" |
| Seller | Names the district and the maker | Says "made in India" |
| Price | Reflects hours of handwork | A few hundred rupees |
1. Check that it is leather throughout
A Kolhapuri is leather from top to bottom: the upper, the straps, the braiding, the sole layers and the stitching. Traditionally it is vegetable-tanned leather, tanned with plant materials rather than harsh chemicals.
Vegetable-tanned leather shows its natural grain, and no two pieces look exactly alike. With oil and wear it darkens and develops a patina. A surface that looks printed, plasticky or perfectly uniform is a warning sign.
2. Look closely at the stitching
An original pair is stitched by hand. Look along the edge of the sole and where the straps meet it. Hand stitching is strong but not perfectly even; you will see small differences in spacing.
Two things give a fake away:
- No stitching at all. The layers are only glued (pasted) together. These pairs come apart at the edges.
- Machine-perfect stitching. Every stitch is exactly the same length, in a perfectly straight line.
3. Turn it over and check the sole
The sole of an original Kolhapuri is several layers of leather stitched together. Look at the edge of the sole and you can see the layers.
A moulded rubber or foam sole means the pair was not made as a traditional Kolhapuri. One exception: some people have a cobbler add a thin rubber layer under the leather sole afterwards, for grip on wet roads. That is an addition to a leather sole, not a replacement for it.
4. Press it and smell it
A new original pair feels firm. It softens and takes the shape of your foot as you wear it. If a pair feels soft and squashy straight out of the box, it is usually foam or cushioning, which a traditional Kolhapuri does not have.
Vegetable-tanned leather has a mild, earthy smell. A strong smell of chemicals, glue or plastic points to synthetic material or heavy gluing.
5. Compare the left and the right
Because every pair is cut, braided and stitched by hand, the left and right chappal are never perfect copies. Look for small differences in the braiding, the punch work and the grain. Two shoes that are identical in every detail usually come from a factory.
6. Read the name it is sold under
"Kolhapuri Chappal" is a protected name in India. It is a registered Geographical Indication (GI), so it should only be used for handmade, all-leather pairs from the eight GI districts. That is why look-alikes are often sold as "Kolhapuri-style", "Kolhapuri-inspired" or "Kolhapuri design". Those words usually mean the seller cannot claim the name. Read what the GI tag means for the full story.
7. Ask for the GI proof behind a "GI certified" claim
Makers who are allowed to use the name are registered as authorised users of the Kolhapuri Chappal GI. Each has a certificate with a registration number and a validity date. If a seller calls its chappals "GI certified", it should be able to show the certificate of the maker behind the pair.
Some pairs also carry a LIDCOM QR code. Scanning it shows the artisan or production unit, the district and the GI status. Not every genuine pair has one yet, so its absence alone does not make a pair fake.
8. Ask the seller who made it and where
A seller of genuine Kolhapuris can tell you the district the pair was made in, and usually who made it. "Made in India" is not an answer. Ask about the shape too: a good seller can tell you what makes a Kapashi different from a Shahu or a Senapati. Sellers who know the craft can answer these questions without hesitating.
9. Be careful with very cheap pairs
An original pair takes hours of skilled handwork and is leather throughout. Pairs sold for a few hundred rupees usually save money on exactly those two things: cheaper or synthetic material, and machine or glued construction. A low price alone does not prove a pair is fake, but it is a reason to check everything above twice.
10. Buying online: what to look for on the page
- A video of the actual design, not only studio photos, so you can see the leather move and the stitching up close.
- Close-up photos of the sole edge and the stitching.
- Reviews with customer photos, ideally of the same product.
- The district of manufacture stated on the page.
- Repair offered by the seller. A seller who repairs its pairs expects them to last for years.
Three things that do not prove a pair is original
The colour. Natural, yellow, dark brown and black are all traditional. Colour tells you nothing on its own; check the leather.
The sound. Some Kolhapuris are made to make a sound as you walk. The artisan places a seed between the bottom layers of the sole. This is a feature of particular designs, not a test of authenticity: most original pairs are silent.
The word "GI" in a product title. Anyone can type it. Ask for the certificate (check 7).
How Vhaan's pairs measure up
Vhaan's traditional Kolhapuris are made by hand in Kolhapur district, one of the eight GI districts, from vegetable-tanned leather, with hand-stitched leather soles. Our artisans are registered as authorised users of the Kolhapuri Chappal GI.
Every design on vhaan.in has a video, so you can see the pair up close before you buy. We have sold handmade Kolhapuris online since 2017, and our looks after pairs that need attention after years of wear.
See our Kolhapuri chappals for men
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if a Kolhapuri chappal is original?
Check that it is leather throughout, stitched by hand, with a sole made of stitched leather layers, and that it is sold as a "Kolhapuri chappal" by a seller who can name the district where it was made. Glued construction, a moulded rubber or foam sole, or a "Kolhapuri-style" label are signs of a look-alike.
Are original Kolhapuri chappals made of leather?
Yes. An original Kolhapuri is leather throughout, traditionally vegetable-tanned: the upper, straps, sole layers and stitching. A pair with synthetic straps or a foam sole is a different product.
Do original Kolhapuri chappals have a rubber sole?
No. The traditional sole is made of stitched layers of leather. Some buyers have a thin rubber layer added under the leather sole later for grip, but a pair made with a moulded rubber sole is not a traditional Kolhapuri.
What does "Kolhapuri-style" mean?
It usually means the product looks like a Kolhapuri but cannot claim the protected name, because it was not made by hand from leather in one of the eight GI districts.
Does a Kolhapuri chappal that makes a sound mean it is original?
No. The sound comes from a seed the artisan places between the bottom layers of the sole, and only some designs are made this way. Most original Kolhapuris are silent.
Why do original Kolhapuri chappals feel hard at first?
The sole is layered leather with no foam, so a new pair is firm. It softens and takes the shape of your foot as you wear it, and oiling helps.
Are cheap Kolhapuri chappals fake?
Not always, but pairs sold for a few hundred rupees usually use cheaper or synthetic material and glued or machine construction. Check the leather, stitching and sole before buying.
About the author: Bhushan Kamble founded Vhaan in 2017. He comes from a cobbler community in Maharashtra and has worked with more than 300 Kolhapuri artisans to revive over 27 endangered designs.