Slippers, e-commerce and the local economy

Over the years, my personal preferences have narrowed down, I'm not tempted by novelty and buy what I know. Slippers. Since moving to Poland 23 years ago, I have always bought Polish-made sheepskin slippers. For winter, they are ideal, keeping the feet as warm as toast. My previous pair of slippers being on the point of expiry, I bought myself a new pair - and here's the novelty - I bought them online. 

Normally, I know where to find purveyors of góralskie (mountain-folk) produce, from slippers to oscypek cheese - they usually hawk their wares close to mainline railways stations. Not wishing to venture into town, I looked online, and found myself the exact pair (always one size smaller that usual, to ensure a tight, snuggly fit). Ordered on Saturday, they arrived this morning by courier. It feels so good to insert my feet into the soft tightness of a brand new pair of these slippers! The nearest thing your feet will experience to the sensation of stepping barefoot into a Rolls-Royce.

The manufacturer is Polish - Produkcja Pantofli i Galanterii BABA, in Łącko, a small town in the hills south-west of Nowy Sącz, more famous for its (illegal) śliwowica łącka, a home-distilled plum-based spirit that's 70% alcohol by volume. I am delighted that such traditional shoe manufacturers still prosper, and that e-commerce brings their products to my door without having to step into a pandemic. Or into the rain.

The slippers are identical in pattern to the traditional 'zakopianka' slipper. To keep their shape in storage and in transit, the slippers are traditionally stuffed rigid with sheepskin off-cuts, thus also solving the manufacturer's problem of waste disposal. Prices are higher than the pair I bought back in 2008 (44.75 złotys or £8.95 today, compared to 30zł in 2008 and 20zł in 1997). Incidentally, these can be bought online in the UK, where the same pair will set you back £30.

Slip Into Something More Comfortable

Here's the pair I bought in Kraków in 2008; another similar pair served me from 2013-19. The latest pair is my seventh since arriving in Poland in 1997.

"Now far away/In slipper'd ease"

I am the more delighted with these slippers, knowing that they are locally made in Poland using locally sourced materials, and not by eight-year-old Uyghurs in slave-labour camps in remote corners of Xinjiang province. And the delivery mechanism is also a matter of local pride...

I bought the slippers on e-commerce platform Allegro, a company listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange; they were delivered this morning by a courier from InPost, also listed on the WSE. I chose home delivery, but I could have also picked up my parcel from the local InPost paczkomat (parcel locker). I have ordered a new Panasonic beard trimmer from Allegro which should arrive at the paczkomat round the back of my local Lidl, 837m from home (it says). We shall see how that goes. The old Panasonic beard trimmer was bought 21 years ago and has finally given up the ghost.

This time last year:
The Inequality Paradox - Part I

This time two years ago:
From West London to South Warsaw

This time five years ago:
Anger and hate have no place in political discourse

This time seven years ago:
Is Conservatism rural or urban in nature?

This time eight years ago:
Poland's roads get slightly less deadly

This time nine years ago:
It's expensive being rich in Warsaw 

This time 11 years:
Winter commuting in colour and black & white

This time 12 years ago:
Zamienie in winter

This time 13 years ago:
Really cold (-12C at night)
[last night's low: +4C, up +2C on 2020.]