Amidst all the modern-day comforts and the urban hustle and bustle of Hanoi, a man in his 70s has tirelessly created tire flip-flops for over two decades.

At 74, Pham Quang Xuan still makes tire flip-flops, which were typically worn by Vietnamese soldiers, in a small alley on Nguyen Bieu Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi – Vietnam's capital.

Despite his advanced age, Xuan’s hands remain flexible and adept as he skillfully creates an impression on a sheet of rubber with a sharp knife to make the soles.

He shared that the most challenging part is making the band between the biggest toe and the other toes, as this seemingly easy step is integral to the wearer’s comfort and the footwear’s quality.

Xuan bends his body tight and keeps the rubber sole firmly stationary before he trims away the unused parts.

He began making tire flip-flops when he worked at a state-owned firm in the Vietnamese capital in 1968.

After 1975, when a wide range of comfortable, trendy footwear became available, he switched to another profession.

However, he always yearned to return to the job he loved.

In 1995, he decided to resume making flip-flops, and he still relishes it to this day.

His clientele include local youths, war veterans, and foreigners.

A pair of flip-flops costs between VND200,000 and 500,000 (up to US$24), which is quite expensive compared to other kinds of casual footwear.

Xuan noted that the soles of each pair can last around ten years, while the band endures for three years, as they are made from discarded super-durable tires from trucks which carry coal from mines in Quang Ninh Province, located in northern Vietnam.

The old man can make only four or five pairs a day, and since demand for his shoes is high he allows his clients to buy just one pair and insists that they leave their contact information with him so that he can “monitor” his flip-flop distribution.

“I’m quite old now, but it delights me so much that my flip-flops are still in good demand,” Xuan shared.

War veterans buy the items as mementoes of their wartime years, while foreigners are curious about the items.

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