The Craft Shoemaker from Roermond has won the Shoemaker of the Year 2022 election.
Owner Frits Pellemans is delighted with the win: “I am speechless. It is very honorable and last night it was a very nice evening with a number of professional prizes being awarded.”
Craftsmanship
According to the jury, the Pellemans shoemaker’s shop is a true experience: “A beautiful store, with an entrepreneur at the helm who is convinced of his own vision. The special facade lures you in and you are pleasantly surprised inside too.” Pellemans is also praised because everything in his shop exudes craftsmanship. The shoemaker was one of three nominees for the title. L1 recently visited the Roermond entrepreneur when his nomination became known.
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‘Hip and trendy’
Pellemans has been awarded a trophy and has been an ambassador for shoemakers in the Netherlands for a year. That has always been his goal: “I want to make people aware that shoemaking is not an old or dusty profession. It can be very hip, trendy and inviting.”
more environmentally aware
Pellemans believes it is important to also make people aware of recycling. According to the shoemaker, the Dutch throw away about fifty million pairs of shoes every year. “As an association we are working to bring this to the attention. It has to be greener and closer to home, but also look at yourself and what you can take to a shoemaker instead of throwing it away. By repairing more shoes , you reduce a lot of sea containers of newly purchased shoes on an annual basis.”