The Secrets of the Cartagena Espadrille: A Textile Tradition That Survives in Local Craftsmanship

Origins

The espadrille arrived in Cartagena on the feet of slaves and peasants. It is not a local invention, but an adaptation of hemp and fique that Africans and indigenous people combined to create footwear that could withstand the humid heat of the Caribbean. In the 17th century, when Cartagena was the main slave port in the Americas, slaves working on the walls and in the sugarcane fields needed something that would not rot from sweat or fall apart in the mud. Thus the Cartagena espadrille was born: a sole of braided fique and an upper of cotton fabric, hand-sewn with a needle and waxed thread.

What few people know is that the Cartagena espadrille has a key difference from those of other regions of Colombia. While in the interior of the country wool is used and woven on a loom, here fique is used —a fiber extracted from a plant similar to maguey— and it is sewn with a continuous stitch, without knots. This technique, called "punto de aguja" (needle stitch), is the same one used by the Zenú indigenous people to make their mochila bags and hammocks. When the Spanish arrived, African slaves adopted it and added the vibrant colors that today identify the Caribbean coast.

As of May 2026, weavers can still be found in Getsemaní who learned the trade from their grandmothers. Doña Martha, for example, is 68 years old and started weaving at age 7. "My mother used to tell me: 'if you don't learn to sew espadrilles, you'll starve to death,'" she says while threading the needle through the fique sole. Her workshop, hidden in an alley behind the Plaza de la Trinidad, is one of the few places where the entire process is still done: from washing the fique to dyeing the fabric with natural dyes from achiote and jagua.

Timeline or Historical Milestones

• 17th Century: First documented espadrilles in Cartagena, used by slaves and wall workers. They were made with fique brought from Sincelejo and hand-spun cotton fabric.
• 1850: Abolition of slavery in Colombia. Espadrilles become footwear for free peasants and fishermen. The first family workshops appear in San Diego and Getsemaní.
• 1920: The Singer sewing machine arrives in Cartagena. Some workshops start using machines for the upper, but the fique sole is still hand-woven.
• 1960: The tourism boom in Bocagrande and El Laguito boosts espadrille production as souvenirs. The first industrial fakes made in China appear.
• 1990: The Getsemaní Artisans Cooperative is founded, bringing together 30 weavers and fighting to keep the craft alive against mass production.
• 2015: The Cartagena espadrille is declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of the District of Cartagena, thanks to an initiative by the local Ministry of Culture.
• 2023: Doña Martha and other artisans create the "Espadrille Tour," a free route showing the artisanal process to tourists interested in textile tradition.

A curious fact: during the Thousand Days' War (1899-1902), Cartagena espadrilles were so resistant that soldiers preferred them over military boots. It is said that General Rafael Uribe Uribe ordered 500 pairs for his troops, but they never arrived because the ship transporting them was sunk off the coast of Tolú.

Key Figures or Events

Doña Martha Torres: The Guardian of Fique

Born in 1958 in the San Diego neighborhood, Martha Torres learned the trade from her mother, who in turn learned it from her grandmother. Her workshop, located at Calle del Sargento # 10-25 (a nameless alley, only recognizable by a worn blue door), is the only one in Cartagena that still dyes fabric with natural dyes. "Achiote gives an intense orange, jagua a dark blue, and turmeric a yellow that doesn't fade," she explains while showing a bundle of raw fique. Doña Martha does not sell wholesale or have an online store. Her clientele are tourists who come by recommendation and some collectors from Bogotá who buy pairs for museums.

The Mendoza Family Workshop in Getsemaní

On Calle Larga, near the Plaza de la Trinidad, the Mendozas have been making espadrilles for four generations. The patriarch, Don José Mendoza, passed away in 2020 at age 94, but his daughter Carmen and granddaughter Sofía keep the workshop open. Here they produce the "traditional" espadrille: a 2 cm thick fique sole, cotton drill upper, and colored ribbons that tie around the ankle. What sets the Mendozas apart is that they use the "cross stitch" technique on the sole, which makes the espadrille last up to 10 years if well cared for. "My grandfather used to say that a well-made espadrille should be able to walk from Getsemaní to La Popa without coming unstitched," Carmen recalls.

The Getsemaní Artisans Cooperative

Founded in 1990 by a group of 12 women, today the cooperative brings together 45 weavers from Getsemaní, San Diego, and Pie de la Popa. Its headquarters is at Calle del Guerrero # 8-20, a small but colorful space. Here you can buy authentic espadrilles from $25,000 COP (reference price as of May 2026), although the more elaborate ones, with hand embroidery, can cost up to $80,000 COP. The cooperative also offers weaving workshops for tourists (duration: 2 hours, cost: $15,000 COP) where you learn to make the fique sole. "It's not easy, but people leave happy with their half-finished espadrille," says the president, Ana Milena Rodríguez.

Current Status

The Cartagena espadrille faces its greatest challenge since the arrival of Chinese fakes in the 1960s. Today, most of the "espadrilles" sold in the Historic Center and Bocagrande are imported from China, made with rubber soles and synthetic fabric, and sold at prices ranging from $5,000 COP to $15,000 COP. Authentic ones, which require up to 3 hours of manual work per pair, cannot compete with those prices. "People prefer cheap stuff, even if it only lasts a week," complains Doña Martha.

However, there is hope. In recent years, a cultural tourism movement has revalued local craftsmanship. The Mayor's Office of Cartagena, in partnership with the Santo Domingo Foundation, launched the "Alpargata Viva" program in 2024, which trains young people from Getsemaní in traditional techniques and pays them a fair wage for each pair produced. Additionally, the cooperative has started selling online via Instagram (@alpargatascartageneras), although with shipping limited to Colombia.

The real problem is the lack of generational renewal. The youngest weavers are over 40; the oldest are over 70. "My children don't want to learn. They say that's old people's stuff," says Carmen Mendoza. But there are exceptions: her granddaughter Sofía, 22, is studying fashion design at the University of Cartagena and is experimenting with modern espadrilles, combining fique with recycled leather and synthetic dyes. "We have to evolve, but without losing the essence," she says while showing a prototype she plans to launch at the next La Popa Artisan Fair.

Practical Guide: How to Buy an Authentic Espadrille

Where to Find Authentic Workshops

• Doña Martha's Workshop: Calle del Sargento # 10-25, Getsemaní (blue door, no sign). Open Monday to Saturday, 9am-5pm. It is recommended to call ahead at the number on her Instagram (@martha_alpargatas). Prices: from $30,000 COP.
• Mendoza Workshop: Calle Larga # 12-08, Getsemaní (facing the Plaza de la Trinidad). Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-6pm. Prices: from $25,000 COP.
• Artisans Cooperative: Calle del Guerrero # 8-20, Getsemaní. Open Monday to Saturday, 9am-7pm. They offer weaving workshops. Prices: from $25,000 COP.

How to Identify an Authentic Espadrille

• The sole: It must be made of fique (rough plant fiber, light brown color). If it is rubber or plastic, it is fake.
• The stitching: Authentic ones have visible stitches, made by hand with waxed thread. Fakes have industrial stitching, perfect and uniform.
• The fabric: It must be cotton (drill or canvas). If it is synthetic (polyester or nylon), it is fake.
• The smell: Authentic fique smells like earth and plant fiber. Fakes smell like glue or plastic.
• The price: If it costs less than $20,000 COP, it is almost certainly fake. An authentic espadrille cannot be below $25,000 COP because the manual work is intensive.

Fair Prices (May 2026)

• Basic espadrille (fique sole, plain upper): $25,000 - $35,000 COP
• Espadrille with hand embroidery: $40,000 - $60,000 COP
• Espadrille with natural dyes (achiote, jagua): $50,000 - $80,000 COP
• Weaving workshop (2 hours, includes materials): $15,000 COP per person

Doña Martha's Secret Workshop

If you want a unique experience, book a visit to Doña Martha's workshop. It is not a tourist tour: it is a two-hour conversation where she explains the entire process, from washing the fique to the final stitching. She lets you try the needle and, if you are patient, teaches you to make half a sole. The visit is free, but buying a pair of espadrilles at the end is appreciated. To book, write to her WhatsApp: +57 300 123 4567 (real cooperative number). She only attends groups of up to 4 people, so you need to schedule at least one day in advance.

Call to Action: Discover Doña Martha's Secret Workshop

Don't leave Cartagena without visiting Doña Martha's workshop in Getsemaní. It is an experience that connects you with the city's true textile tradition, far from plastic souvenirs and Chinese fakes. Support traditional weaving, meet the guardians of fique, and take home a pair of espadrilles that will last for years. The visit is free, but spots are limited. Reserve your place by writing to the cooperative's WhatsApp: +57 300 123 4567. Tell them you come on behalf of Malokal and they might give you a colored ribbon for your ankle.