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Bandung shoemaker creates footwear from chicken feet
Sparked from a dislike of the use of wild animal skin for various products, Nurman Farieka Ramdhany creates shoes from discarded chicken feet, as he says it's more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
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About 20 kilograms of chicken feet could make 20 to 30 pairs of shoes, with approximately up to 10 days to process the skin to become usable material. (Kompas.com/Dendi Ramdhani)
B
andung resident Nurman Farieka Ramdhany creates shoes from discarded chicken feet, an idea that was sparked from his dislike of the use of wild animal skin for various products, which he said could threaten the animal population and the environment.
Nurman conducted research with his father, leading to the discovery that chicken feet skin, which is known for its unique texture, could be used as shoe material.
Prior to deciding on chicken feet, Nurman had also tried other materials from animal skin, such as tilapia, rays, frog skin and duck skin.
"Why did I choose chicken feet? We take in the sustainability factor of the animal," Nurman said, as quoted by kompas.com.
He added that the motif of chicken feet skin was similar to that of snakes and crocodiles but were more readily available, in relation to chicken as food.
"We use waste, for example from fast food restaurants that serve chicken. Usually, they do not use chicken feet, so we are working with gatherers to get the chicken feet," he said.
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The cost of producing shoes from chicken feet is high, Nurman said. About 20 kilograms of chicken feet can make 20 to 30 pairs of shoes, with approximately up to 10 days to process the skin to become usable material.
Referring to the complexity of the shoe-making process, Nurman also noted the target market as the upper-middle income bracket.
"We aim for middle to upper class as the target market, as the products are quite pricey, at around Rp 500,000 (US$34.4) to 1 million for women's shoes," he said. "For men's shoes, it's Rp 1 to 2 million."
Nurman's designs are available in Bandung, where he is based. (liz/wng)
