Post by pigeonpie on Aug 20, 2009 23:08:46 GMT
Lack of classic tyres threatens traditional Menorcan ‘abarca’
Having had their livelihood threatened by non-Menorcan manufacturers who claim to be making “genuine” abarcas, the local industry now faces another problem - a shortage of one of the raw materials used to make the island’s famous footwear, the car tyre.
The popular open sandal traditionally has leather uppers and straps and a sole that is made from genuine car tyres taken from vehicles headed for the breaker’s yard. However, the tyres sold these days have a carcass that is reinforced with metallic thread which is impossible to sew. Previously, they were made from rubber and layers of textile which allowed a needle to pass through.
Suitable tyres are now unavailable not only on the island but also in the rest of Spain and manufacturers have had to contact suppliers on the mainland who have managed to locate the “classic” tyre in foreign countries where the new tyres have not yet been introduced, such as the Eastern block or developing countries. Fearing that their sources of supply will dry up, the abarca makers are ordering in large quantities to ensure that they have an adequate supply of the necessary material.
There is an alternative; a new motorbike tyre which has come on the market and is made from rubber and material, but the manufacturers still prefer the traditional car tyre, each of which provides enough raw material for the soles of three pairs of abarcas.
The shortage of “classic” tyres has resulted in the suppliers increasing their prices and some manufacturers have opted for alternative materials, but these imitations are obvious at a glance and the traditional “car tyre and leather” abarca is increasingly in demand both on the island and abroad.
Having had their livelihood threatened by non-Menorcan manufacturers who claim to be making “genuine” abarcas, the local industry now faces another problem - a shortage of one of the raw materials used to make the island’s famous footwear, the car tyre.
The popular open sandal traditionally has leather uppers and straps and a sole that is made from genuine car tyres taken from vehicles headed for the breaker’s yard. However, the tyres sold these days have a carcass that is reinforced with metallic thread which is impossible to sew. Previously, they were made from rubber and layers of textile which allowed a needle to pass through.
Suitable tyres are now unavailable not only on the island but also in the rest of Spain and manufacturers have had to contact suppliers on the mainland who have managed to locate the “classic” tyre in foreign countries where the new tyres have not yet been introduced, such as the Eastern block or developing countries. Fearing that their sources of supply will dry up, the abarca makers are ordering in large quantities to ensure that they have an adequate supply of the necessary material.
There is an alternative; a new motorbike tyre which has come on the market and is made from rubber and material, but the manufacturers still prefer the traditional car tyre, each of which provides enough raw material for the soles of three pairs of abarcas.
The shortage of “classic” tyres has resulted in the suppliers increasing their prices and some manufacturers have opted for alternative materials, but these imitations are obvious at a glance and the traditional “car tyre and leather” abarca is increasingly in demand both on the island and abroad.
