Spanish firm to supply official pilgrim shoes
15/07/2009
A Holy Year is when the feast of St James, July 25, falls on a Sunday. More than 100,000 pilgrims are completing the traditional pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in north west Spain each year now, but, typically, during a Holy Year, numbers can double.
Chiruca, from Arnedo, known as Shoe City, in La Rioja is close to the main route from the Pyrenees, feels it has strong ties to the pilgrimage and has developed a range of footwear products that it feels will meet the needs of pilgrims, many of whom walk almost 1,000 kilometres from the Pyrenees to Santiago.
The company said it would launch a new publicity campaign after the summer to attempt to raise awareness of its status as official footwear provider to the pilgrimage for the Holy Year. It also said that it hoped this development would help it raise its profile outside Spain. It already exports to 40 countries.
It specialises in outdoor footwear, including shoes for hiking, trekking, backpacking, mountaineering and trail-running. Its autumn-winter 2009-2010 collection already includes a hiking boot called Xacobeo.
It’s an ankle-length leather boot, enhanced by anti-stain treatments such as ScotchGuard, and with extra protection from the elements in the shape of a Gore-Tex lining and water-repellent Cordura fabric. The hard-wearing sole is made from PU. The Xacobeo boot is available in two shades of grey and two of brown.
Share this story:
