“Scarpets” are the traditional handmade footwear of Carnia, a mountainous region in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Mainly crafted by women during winter evenings, they were made for the whole family using recycled fabrics. Though known as humble footwear, they were also worn by wealthier classes, especially at home or for special occasions.
While uniform in construction, scarpets varied in materials and decorations—cloth or velvet, simple or embroidered—reflecting social status, community identity, or individual creativity. Their history is documented in Friulian literature, inheritance and dowry records, paintings, and sumptuary laws, with references dating back to 16th-century texts mentioning “black cloth shoes.”
This artisanal tradition, passed from mother to daughter, was at risk of disappearing. To preserve its legacy and promote its future, the Carnic Museum of Popular Arts Michele Gortani, one of the most important ethnographic museums in the Alpine region, launched the “Scarpetti, i scarpets de Cjargne” project. This initiative includes training courses for traditional craftsmanship and a certification mark for artisans maintaining authentic techniques.
“Scarpets” are the symbol of the toil, ingenuity, creativity and commitment of skilled hands that know how to create beauty that is sustainable, useful and long-lasting.