Sven Clogs

Images courtesy of Sven Clogs.

Before I discovered Bryr, my OG clog habit started with Sven. Based out of Minnesota, this clog outfitter leans somewhat more utilitarian - prime stuff for doctors, chefs, and other folks who find themselves on their feet all day, as well as fur-lined warm weather options for those cold midwest winters. That said, they also have some high-heeled styles that caught my eye - queue the high-heeled peep toe clog.  

I hemmed and hawed over whether to shell out a cool $270 for these suckers, and at the end of the day, I’m glad I did. The ordering process is completely customizable - from choosing your preferred base wood, to your preferred leather or nubuck upper, and even tracing your feet on their “find my size” form so they can produce the leather upper perfectly sized to your feet. This is an amazing option for folks who may have wider feet or ankles depending on the style of clog, as well as folks who may have two slightly differently sized feet (it me!). And still slightly cheaper, with a more forgiving return policy, than other custom brands (*cough* Bryr *cough*).

I ordered my nude peep-toe beauties in June and wore them literally all summer - and every sunny fall day that didn’t rain here in Portland (so like, three whole days). They’re outrageously comfortable and stylish and have held up beautifully aside from the adhesive heel protector, which peeled right off after months of wear. Heading into spring, I finally reached out to the good people at Sven to inquire about purchasing some additional heel protectors, and you know what? They replied instantaneously and they’re going to send me some extras, free of charge. Truly couldn’t ask for better customer service. 

The Bottom Line: Sven Clogs are handcrafted in the U.S., with leathers and sheepskin sourced in the U.S. as well. Wooden bases are sourced from Austria and Sweden. They don’t offer any details on their website regarding sustainable production practices so I grappled with whether to include them in this edit at all. But at the end of the day, their business model supports an ethos of sustainability - since each pair is made to order and fully customized to the exact measurements of your feet, it’s entirely possible that a pair of Svens are the only pair of clogs you’ll ever need (thanks to those extra complementary heel protectors, of course). That’s slow fashion I can get behind.