Giveh upper being woven · photo 2018 · Cotton thread stitching for giveh footwear · Iran
Niloofar Rakhshan نیلوفر رخشان · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons record
One catalogued Iranian example whose museum title or technique line names this process; not a defining specimen.
Process, step by step
- Work breathable upper
- Shape the upper
- Attach it to the sole
Variations
Sole construction varies between regions and makers.
Conservation
Dry slowly after use; avoid machine washing.
A knitted cotton upper
Giveh is a traditional shoe whose upper (rueh) is made from strong cotton yarn worked with a needle in a dense looped stitch, and whose sole is formed from layers of cotton cloth or, traditionally, rags compressed and stitched edge-on with leather or rawhide thread. Kermanshah (especially the Hawraman area), Abadeh and Lorestan are known centres.
References: [1]
Division of labour
Uppers have often been made by women at home while sole-making and assembly took place in workshops. Hawrami klash and Abadeh giveh differ in shape, sole construction and decoration; record the local name rather than a generic term.
References: [1]
Modern soles and imitations
Many giveh now have rubber or composite soles for durability. Factory-made canvas shoes styled as giveh lack the hand-worked upper. Ask about both parts separately.
References: [1]
Care
Keep cotton uppers dry and brush off dust; washing can distort the stitching. Traditional cloth soles wear with wet ground and should be dried naturally away from heat.
References: [1]
Practical questions
- Is a rubber sole inauthentic? Not necessarily; ask how the upper was made.
- Is klash the same as giveh? Related, with local differences.
| Observation | Useful description | Not established |
|---|---|---|
| Dense looped cotton upper | Hand-stitched rueh | Hawraman origin |
| Layered cloth sole | Traditional sole | Age |
| Woven canvas upper | Factory construction | — |
References and further reading
- [1] A. U. Pope & P. Ackerman (eds.), A Survey of Persian Art, Oxford University Press, 1938–39.Broad historical context; individual claims need current scholarship.
- [2] Encyclopaedia Iranica ↗Peer-reviewed entries on motifs, crafts and terms.
These sources provide context, not authentication or provenance for an individual object. Editorial interpretations remain under review.
Documented material and craft examples
Representative photographs only. Marketplace examples rely on seller descriptions; CraftPersia has not independently authenticated their maker, origin, or rights status. Follow each source link for the listing context.
Used in these crafts
A traditional handmade summer shoe with a cotton-thread woven or crocheted upper and a sole historically made of pressed cotton fabric or leather, produced in a number of Iranian towns known for the craft.