The history of tarpaulin boots. Do you know who invented tarpaulin boots and quilted jackets? Modern tarpaulin - fabric description

Tarpaulin boots are sewn from tarpaulin - a multilayer durable cotton fabric impregnated with a rubber solution and treated with a special water-repellent compound. The advantages of this material are that it withstands heat and frost equally well, and also protects the foot well from moisture.

Soldiers of the Russian Imperial Army. Reconstruction. Photo: www.russianlook.com

The history of the creation of the tarpaulin

The first experiments on the manufacture of tarpaulin in St. Petersburg in 1903 began to be carried out inventor Mikhail Pomortsev. In 1904, he received a waterproof tarpaulin soaked in a mixture of paraffin, rosin and egg yolk. He did not let water through and had properties almost identical to the skin.

For the first time kirza was used during the Russo-Japanese War as a material for covers for artillery pieces. This material during the war showed its reliability, but then they did not manage to establish the manufacture of boots from it.

Technology improved in the 1930s Soviet chemists Boris Byzov and Sergei Lebedev. They began to use artificial rubber as a fabric impregnation. Thanks to this, the material has become more resistant to external influences. Based on the developments of Byzov and Lebedev chemist Ivan Plotnikov set up the production of tarpaulin boots at the Vyatka artificial leather plant. They went through a baptism of fire in the Soviet-Finnish war, but this experience ended unsuccessfully - in the cold, the boots cracked, became hard and brittle.

In the very first days of the Great Patriotic War, the commissary services faced the problem of a shortage of footwear for the soldiers of the Red Army. Then the military leadership remembered that in the mid-30s, Ivan Plotnikov was working on a new technological material for boots. By order of the Council of People's Commissars, from the ranks of the Moscow militia, Plotnikov was immediately returned to the rear and appointed acting director and at the same time chief engineer of the Kozhimit plant, he was given the task of improving the technology for manufacturing shoe leather substitute - tarpaulin, as soon as possible.

Among the main requirements: the material must be durable, wear-resistant, impervious to water and breathable so that the legs do not sag and can “breathe”. Plotnikov successfully coped with the task, tarpaulin boots were put into mass production. It was in this unpretentious and at the same time comfortable shoes that Soviet soldiers walked to Berlin.

Russia is today the world's largest producer of tarpaulin using Plotnikov's technology, which has remained unchanged since 1941. About 85% of domestic tarpaulin today is intended for the manufacture of military footwear (boots and boots). In addition to this material, yuft is used in production - dressed leather from the skins of cattle, horses and pigs. Most of the boots are combined: 15% (the lower part, including the toe) is made of yuft, the rest (including the shaft) is made of tarpaulin.

How is kirza made?

The process of manufacturing material for sewing shoes takes place in five stages:

Boots of a Russian soldier with a yuft (yal) bottom and tarpaulin tops. Photo: Public Domain

• Fabric production.
• Applying a latex rubber solution with various fillers, dyes and vulcanizing components to a three-layer fabric.
• The formation of a film under the influence of high temperature in a heat chamber on the surface of the cloth.
• Material compaction by calendering - passing the fabric through a hot calender (a machine with rolling shafts that gives smoothness, gloss, and a flat surface to the fabric).
• Embossing the front side of the fabric under pigskin.

In the production process of tarpaulin, the following are used: cotton base, suspension polyvinyl chloride, dioctyl phthalate, nitrile rubber, stearic acid, chalk, carbon black, coloring pigments.

Why is the material called "tarpaulin"?

Kirza comes from the name of the coarse English woolen fabric "Kersey" (from the English. Kersey), named after the village in Suffolk, where a special breed of woolen sheep was bred.

There are several erroneous versions of the origin of the word "kirza". One of them connects the name of the material with the Kirov factories, where it was actually manufactured for some time. According to another version, the English Minister of Foreign Affairs allegedly had a hand in the creation of the "kirzaches" Lord Curzon.

Rough shoes on the feet of girls dressed in lace dresses do not surprise anyone today. It is fashionable, which means it is beautiful - many people think so. Girls put on army boots with high berets, boots that resemble tarpaulin soldiers.

Bertsy, as army boots are now called, are included in the equipment of almost all armies in the world. Unlike boots, boots are more comfortable, and at the same time reduce the risk of damage to the tendons, especially in paratroopers.

And the old-fashioned tarpaulin army boots? Have they really retired, and now they have remained in the service of only subcultures and girls who are passionate about? No. Due to climatic conditions, tarpaulin boots remain in the army equipment of a Russian soldier.

What is the story behind these winning boots?

This is how I would like to call tarpaulin boots that went through the fire and conflagrations of the destroyed native cities and villages of Russia in the Great Patriotic War, and reached Berlin in 1945.

The history of old-style tarpaulin boots

The beginning of the production of tarpaulin in 1903 was laid by the inventor Mikhail Mikhailovich Pomortsev. And in 1904, he received a waterproof tarpaulin that was soaked in a mixture of paraffin, rosin and egg yolk. The material was almost identical to leather - it did not let water through and had properties similar to leather.

MM. Pomortsev called him a kirza. A graduate of the Petersburg Artillery School, he was not a combat officer. Pomortsev was distinguished by the breadth of scientific interests, showed abilities in various fields. He graduated from the geodetic department of the Academy of the General Staff, was an employee of the Pulkovo observatory, and taught at the Engineering Academy.

Not all of his ideas and inventive activities were crowned with timely success. But everything he did paved the way for further discoveries and achievements. MM. Pomortsev tried to get synthetic rubber, but his research ended with the creation of a waterproof tarpaulin.

Later, waterproof tarpaulins were used as covers for artillery pieces during the Russo-Japanese War. Samples of materials developed using the Pomortsev method were exhibited at the International Exhibitions in Liege in 1905 and Milan in 1906. In Milan, Pomortsev's work was awarded the Gold Medal. And it wasn't just one award, others followed. So M.M. is considered the inventor of the tarpaulin. Pomortsev.

The costs of supplying a huge army in Russia were always significant, so the tsarist government was interested in developing new materials that could replace expensive leather for the manufacture of soldiers' boots. The material developed by Pomortsev showed its reliability, so they decided to use it for making boots.

The infantry of almost all the armies of the world at that time moved on foot, and poor-quality shoes wore out faster, rubbed the soldiers' feet, and this reduced the combat effectiveness of the army. On the eve of the First World War, the Russian treasury annually allocated up to 3 million rubles for soldiers' boots. And Pomortsev suggested using the leather substitutes he invented for the manufacture of soldiers' boots.

The Military Industrial Committee approved the production of a large batch of such boots, but this was unprofitable for the owners of leather footwear factories, and they interfered in every possible way. And in 1916, Mikhail Mikhailovich died, and the world was changing ... And this matter remained in oblivion.

Getting synthetic rubber has been the dream of many scientists and engineers. Soviet scientists-chemists were also engaged in solving this problem. On February 15, 1931, the first batch of synthetic rubber was obtained at a pilot plant in Leningrad according to the method of S. V. Lebedev. This day is considered the birthday of synthetic rubber not only in Russia, but all over the world.

In the 1930s, Soviet chemists Boris Byzov and Sergei Lebedev improved the technology for making tarpaulin. Kirza experienced a second birth. They began to use rubber as a fabric impregnation. The material has become more resistant to external influences. Soon both scientists, by a strange coincidence, died.

The first Soviet artificial rubber plants were put into operation in 1934. The chemist Ivan Vasilyevich Plotnikov also joined the development of new manufacturing technologies; he set up the production of tarpaulin boots at the Vyatka plant.

Tarpaulin boots were made, which went through the Soviet-Finnish war, but at the same time showed their failure in the cold - the boots cracked and became brittle and hard. It was already supposed to put an end to the production of tarpaulin boots.

In the early days of the Great Patriotic War, among other problems, the country also faced the problem of a lack of shoes for soldiers. The military leadership recalled the experience of tarpaulin boots from the Soviet-Finnish war, as well as the chemist-inventor Ivan Plotnikov himself, who worked on tarpaulin in the mid-30s. Therefore, it was decided to re-establish the production of artificial leather.

It turned out that Ivan Plotnikov went into the ranks of the Moscow militia to defend the capital. A decision was made to immediately return Plotnikov to the rear and appoint him the chief engineer of the Kozhimit plant. The task before him was set clearly and specifically - in the shortest possible time to improve the technology of manufacturing leather substitute - tarpaulin.

Ivan Plotnikov successfully coped with the task. The new tarpaulin was durable, wear-resistant, waterproof and breathable. Tarpaulin boots were put into mass production by November 1941. In general, the material was also used for the manufacture of tank overalls, winter jackets and many other types of clothing and equipment.

For such an important invention, by a decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR on April 10, 1942, I.V. Plotnikov and a group of colleagues were awarded the Stalin Prize of the second degree in 100 thousand rubles. The creator of tarpaulin boots was next to the awarded inventor of the "Katyusha" A. G. Kostikov, aircraft designers S. V. Ilyushin and A. S. Yakovlev. Soldier's shoes proved to be an important invention.

During the Second World War, the soldiers of the Soviet army and the Wehrmacht were shod in boots. The US and British armies were wearing low laced boots. However, for the paratroopers, neither one nor the other shoes were suitable, since during a parachute landing they did not protect against injuries. It was for the needs of paratroopers that high laced boots were developed. When the Second World War ended, the NATO army gradually began to switch to these boots - black leather ankle boots.

Tarpaulin boots served until the end of the existence of the Soviet Army. And only at the end of 2007 did the transition from boots to berets begin. And today the Russian soldier has not completely left the boots. Russia is a northern country, and therefore the army needs not only tarpaulin boots, but also rubber and felt boots.

Russia still produces tarpaulin according to Plotnikov's technology, and the manufacturing recipe has remained unchanged since 1941. 85% of Russian tarpaulin is used to make military footwear. Now they make not only boots, but also boots, as well as overalls and elements of military equipment, including rubberized drive belts, tablets, cartridge bags, and so on.

Most of the army shoes are made like this - the lower part is made of yuft (leather from the skins of cattle), the rest (shaft) is made of tarpaulin.

How is kirza made?

Kirza is a multi-layer durable cotton fabric impregnated with a rubber solution and treated with a special water-repellent compound. Tarpaulin boots withstand heat and frost well, and also protect the foot from moisture.

The process of making tarpaulin goes through several stages:

1. Fabric production.
2. Applying a latex rubber solution to a multilayer fabric.
3. Formation of a film on the surface of the material. This happens under the influence of high temperature in a special heat chamber.
4. Compaction of the material by passing the fabric through the rolling rolls. This gives smoothness and gloss.
5. Embossing the front side of the material.

In the process of making tarpaulin, various substances are used at each stage: cotton base, polyvinyl chloride, dioctyl phthalate, nitrile rubber, stearic acid, chalk, carbon black and coloring pigments.

Why is the material called "tarpaulin"?

Some associate the name "kirza" with the Kirov plant where it was produced. They also talked about the involvement of the British Foreign Minister Lord Curzon in the title of the material. But it's not. Kirza comes from the name of coarse woolen fabric (from the English Kersey).

It was in England in a place with that name that they bred a semi-fine-fleeced meat-wool early maturing breed of sheep - Suffolk. The sheep, in turn, got the name Suffolk in honor of the county in which Kersey is located. The name of the material at first was kirza, but we are all familiar and comfortable in pronunciation kirza?. The term - kirza was more often used in relation to boots only.

Tarpaulin boots have become a symbol of the past war. In our history, the image of a soldier, shod in kirzachi, a Victorious Soldier, will remain forever. But there is another story where we see the appearance of those hard-working creators who mastered virgin expanses and impenetrable taiga forests, they were also shod in tarpaulin boots.

The village of Zvezdny, Perm Territory. Monument "Soldier's Boots"

The words "tarpaulin" and "tarpaulin" are primarily associated with boots, which were the most common type of footwear in the Soviet army. This composite fabric, which has made a significant contribution to the history of the Victory, is a completely domestic development. And after many years, reliable and unpretentious tarpaulin is still quite a popular material for many fields of activity. Let's figure out what tarpaulin boots are, what are they made of?

History of kirza

Improving the properties of different materials by combining and combining them has been known since antiquity. In ancient times, the fabric was impregnated with wax, oil, various resins, and in South America - with the juice of rubber plants, from this it became more durable and well protected from water.

At all times, one of the topical issues was how to replace expensive materials with those that would cost less, but would have approximately the same set of consumer properties. A particular problem in many countries was the search for a worthy substitute for natural leather, primarily for military footwear and ammunition.

The first appearance of such an effective leatherette as tarpaulin fabric is associated with the name of M. M. Pomortsev, meteorologist and military aerologist. In cooperation with the Russian Physical and Chemical Society, he managed to make many useful developments, including substitutes for rubber of plant origin, water-repellent tarpaulin. Among the inventions of Pomortsev, a special place is occupied by a composite material, which is similar to the skin. For him, an English coarse woolen material called Kersey was used - it was impregnated with compositions of paraffin, rosin and egg yolks. It was quite durable, practically did not let water through, while not interfering with gas exchange.

Important! Kirza has received many awards at Russian and international industrial exhibitions.

Mass production of products from tarpaulin began in the 30s of the last century, when the issue of equipping the army became very acute. Now impregnation began to be done on the basis of synthesized artificial rubber. Engineers I. Plotnikov and A. Khomutov developed technological equipment, and already in the Finnish campaign, a new type of fabric began to be used for sewing army boots. But the first samples were not successful, because they caused irritation and could not withstand frost. Only in August 1941 was it possible to obtain better products.

The improved material was waterproof, durable, lightweight, kept warm and allowed the feet to “breathe”. Already in the winter of 1941, the new fabric was used not only for the manufacture of boots and boots, but also for military ammunition. Since then, unpretentious and reliable tarpaulin boots have been considered a symbol of the Soviet Union.

Important! To this day, this composite fabric is widely used both independently and in combination for work and military footwear, bags, belts, etc.

What is kirza?

When wondering what tarpaulin boots are made of, it is worth understanding that such shoe material is made on the basis of cotton with a rubber coating. This coating is often black, although a beige or white composite fabric can also be produced.

The traditional sequence for the manufacture of this material is as follows:

1. Mechanized unwinding of a roll of cotton base.
2. Applying a layer of rubber.
3. Heat treatment.
4. Sealing and embossing (usually under the skin).
5. Rolling up.

Important! High-quality tarpaulin has evenly applied embossing and well-dyed edges - it should not have streaks, scratches, or color changes.

Modern analogues

The modern modification of this material, in the production of which polyvinyl chloride is not used, but rubber, is called shargolin or "Universal". This is a softer fabric, but at the same time it is less frost-resistant.

Important! Instead of a rather rough cotton base, vinyl artificial leather (vinyl tarpaulin) is often made on the basis of non-woven materials, due to which it is able to withstand repeated bends and loads without delamination and cracking.

The main positive qualities of modern kirza are:

• Resistance to abrasion, puncture or tear.
• Water resistance.
• Breathability.
• Elasticity.
• Ease.
• Hygroscopicity of the inner layer.
• High level of protection.
• Ability to keep the properties to a temperature -30.
• Cheapness.

Application

To this day, tarpaulin is a fairly popular material. Although the usual army boots are long gone, this material is still used as a fabric for boots, berets, other footwear and accessories, including those intended for use in foci of radioactive and chemical contamination, as well as for protection against electric shock.

Important! Tarpaulin shoes are often used by workers of chemical enterprises, builders, gardeners, summer residents love it.

Reliable, durable tarpaulin parts are sometimes used as inserts for sports shoes, including gymnastic, dance shoes, and the manufacture of sports equipment (boxing gloves, pears). And, of course, this high-quality leatherette is often used for technical purposes - for belts, bags, bags, cases.

How to care?

Although tarpaulin is classified as a “fabric”, it is still not worth washing it. But you should take care of it regularly.

Important! The service life of tarpaulin shoes, as a rule, is at least a year, however, with proper care, they will last much longer.

Care rules:

• Kirza is not afraid of moisture either inside or outside. After many days of transitions, it is advisable to wash it well and dry it thoroughly in a natural way, that is, away from heat sources.
• Complete drying is a rather long process, therefore, for everyday use, the tarpaulin must be wiped with a slightly damp cloth from the inside, and then dried by removing the insoles.
• This material is unpretentious, does not need special creams and formulations.
• Shoe seams are sometimes desirable to impregnate with castor oil or animal fat - this will protect the shoes from leaking.
• It is best to lubricate the surface of the tarpaulin with ordinary cheap shoe polish, and to maintain elasticity, it is advisable to apply cleaning products to a slightly damp surface.

Not chrome, not leather, but not sandals either. Tarpaulin boots marched through half of Europe during the Great Patriotic War, but decades later, these already historical shoes are not written off to the museum archives. The history of tarpaulin boots was studied by Natalya Letnikova.

Peter Zhigimont. soldier song

1. Oiled fabric for their ships was used by the Vikings; the Aztec Indians sewed capes and shoes from it; invention of the XIX century - raincoats made of fabric impregnated with rubber, macs. Russia also looked closely at the technology in an attempt to replace expensive leather: only three million rubles went from the treasury annually for boots.

2. Tarpaulin soaked in a mixture of paraffin, rosin and egg yolk. 1904 invention by Mikhail Pomortsev. In appearance, the material is like leather, it did not let water through and “breathed”. The novelty was baptized by fire in the Russo-Japanese War: bags and covers for artillery were sewn from it. And Pomortsev was awarded a gold medal at an exhibition in Milan.

3. After 30 years, Soviet scientists Boris Byzov and Sergey Lebedev received cheap artificial rubber, which also made the fabric look like natural leather. Ivan Plotnikov established the production of footwear on an industrial scale. Just before the war, when it was necessary to urgently put on shoes for the army - at least in bast shoes. This is where chemists come in.

Marat Samsonov. Soldiers of Stalingrad

4. The name "kirza" is associated with the manufacturer - Cyrus ovskim behind water; sometimes with the name of the kersey fabric, from which the material was first made; sometimes with an English village where there were sheep, from whose wool they made fabric. But for almost a century there has been only one association - with soldier's boots.

5. The history of the creation of footwear for the military is stored in the documentary fund of the Polytechnic Museum. On the eve of the 50th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War, one of the nine developers of tarpaulin, chemical scientist Alexander Khomutov, donated his memoirs, photographs and a document on the award of the Stalin Prize to the museum.

6. High state award for material development. In 1942, along with the designers of the legendary Katyusha, the Il and Yak aircraft, the Stalin Prize of 100 thousand rubles was also received by chemical scientists, the creators of tarpaulin boots. The Soviet Union became the world's largest producer of tarpaulin. 85% of all production is for the needs of the army.

Leonid Golovanov. Let's get to Berlin!

7. "Let's get to Berlin!" In 1944, Soviet artist Leonid Golovanov drew one of the most famous wartime posters. A smiling soldier straightens his tarpaulin boot. The artist depicted the sniper Vasily Golosov, who accounted for more than 400 Nazis. The fighter himself fell in battle, but the poster retained the image of a war hero in the post-war years.

8. "Durable and easy to use." The peaceful history of tarpaulin boots goes back decades. About 150 million pairs left the assembly line to put on shoes for builders, grain growers and ... the most daring fashionistas. So, Vyacheslav Zaitsev drew attention to tarpaulin boots. The couturier painted rough soldier's shoes orange in one of the first collections.

9. Tarpaulin boots in the 21st century become part of the museum exposition. One of the oldest museums in Russia - the Tula Museum of Weapons - has a whole collection dedicated to the history of soldier's shoes. In the Kimry Museum of Local Lore, tarpaulin boots are side by side with a movie relic - boots specially sewn in 1961 for the filming of the film "War and Peace".

10. Soldier boots in bronze. The monument by sculptor Dmitry Baikov was erected in the military town of Zvezdny in the Perm Territory. 40-kilogram kirzachs unite generations of artillerymen who served in these places, and the inhabitants of the village, most of whom also minted a step on the parade ground, as usual - in tarpaulin boots.

Tarpaulin boots have been popular since their invention by Ivan Plotnikov and to this day. For the creation of these legendary boots, he received the Stalin Prize and deservedly so.

In the confrontation between boots and boots, boots definitely won, by the time of the First World War, the choice was made on them. Before that, the soldier's legs were constantly wrapped around, although boots were worn. Naturally, it’s more convenient to put your feet in boots so that these windings do not unwind at the most inopportune moment, and it’s more convenient, of course. In some parts, there was not enough material for the manufacture of windings and it was necessary to wrap the legs with improvised means. For example, the British army went through the entire war in windings. But the Russian soldiers are the only ones who, in frequent cases, allowed their legs to feel the warmth and comfort of high leather boots.

Those who believe that "kirzachi" got their name because of the Kirov Plant (kir-za), where they were mass-produced, these people are mistaken. Tarpaulin boots got their sonorous name, thanks to the coarse woolen English material, which was called Kersey, it then served as the basis for tarpaulin. If disputes with the name are resolved quickly, then the name of the true inventor creates a whole epic of contradictions and rumors. Most believe that Mikhail Pomortsev invented them, it was he who managed to do the impossible and overcome many difficulties, he came up with a material similar to leather, patented it in 1904, it was a canvas fabric, but not simple, but impregnated with all sorts of substances, such as rosin, paraffin, even egg yolk was included. The new material was almost an analogue of natural leather, which was waterproof and did not "suffocate", it was just brilliant. For the first time, this new fabric began to be used in the Russo-Japanese War, it was used for various purposes, although it was still far from protecting soldiers' legs, but various most necessary things were already produced in wartime, for example, they made light bags for ammunition, as well as various ammunition for horses and more.

The material made by the scientist Pomortsev earned praise on all fronts of the Russo-Japanese War, literally and figuratively. The material was also presented at various exhibitions, where it earned forest reviews from specialists, Pomortsev was offered to make a small batch of boots, they were in great need at that time, but so far the matter has not reached mass production. Obstacles were made by leather craftsmen (the curators of this business), who were very worried that they would be deprived of their work. And, in 1916, the inventor Pomortsev himself died, and with him the mass production of boots from this universal material has sunk into oblivion. Only 20 years later, kirza will be remembered again.

In 1934, two Soviet scientists took up production again, their names were Boris Byzov and Sergei Lebedev.

They came up with a new way to get rubber, cheaper and impregnated fabric with it, which in its qualities also became similar to natural leather. Later, the Soviet chemist Plotnikov set to work, he then collected all the laurels of the discoverer and even received the Stalin Prize. In the Soviet-Finnish war, tarpaulin boots passed the first tests, however, they did not prove to be an excellent material, the boots cracked from frost and hardened, and even broke over time. The chemist was asked why his boots are so flimsy and cold, and he quite seriously replied: "The bull and the cow have not yet shared with us all their" selfish "secrets!". For such a tough answer, the scientist was not punished, and on the contrary, they were loaded with work, which consisted in improving this material for boots. At that time there was a very strong shortage of shoes, the war had a strong impact on domestic developments. Under the careful supervision of Kosygin himself, Plotnikov did an excellent job with his work.

The scientist Plotnikov shod 10 million people in tarpaulin boots, for these merits in 1942 on April 10 he was awarded the Stalin Prize.

To the envy of everyone.

Throughout its existence, tarpaulin boots have been very popular, and during the war years they especially increased their popularity. The boots were ready for off-road and long hikes, the fact that Russian boots are the best can be judged by comparing them with American military footwear of the 40s, our boots are better in many respects.

Even General Bradley wrote in his notes that due to the incessant dampness and cold, the American army lost 12,000 excellent soldiers in just 1 month, many could not get into line. He also wrote that diseases of rheumatism in the legs were spreading in his army faster than the plague had ever been, this phenomenon reached its climax in January. The US Army was not ready for dampness and frost, when they began to instruct the soldiers in detail how to properly care for their feet, the general realized that it was already very late. At the front, during the period of bad weather, the American army had a very hard time, there were no high boots and footcloths. Active scientists apparently "raised" only in.

Read similar material: Military helmet

Oh those footcloths...

We can safely say that simple footcloths turned out to be no less useful in the difficult service of a soldier than such successful tarpaulin boots. Also a very useful invention like socks, it does not get along with tarpaulin boots at all, the one who wore them in these boots knows for sure that socks turn into dust. And if you wear boots with socks for a long time, then the result will also be bloody legs and calluses.

A universal way to use footcloths, which only Russians could come up with, is when footcloths get wet, they are changed with the other side (from the top to the bottom) and the legs are dry again, and the wet part will dry at this time. Another way that other countries do not understand is winding several footcloths, this method is actively used in winter, and newspapers were also inserted into footcloths to keep warm.

Tarpaulin boots were a recognized national brand; they could count on popular love without bragging. To date, over 150 million pairs have been produced. When they say in the Russian army that they will change their shoes into berets, our soldiers defiantly again and again put on kirzaches that are comfortable in military life. Dembels make "screws" out of them on the occasion of the end of their service life, elegant shoes are obtained by folding them into an accordion.

Tarpaulin boots have traveled a great path from the moment they were created to launching them into the stream of working and military people, and together with them our soldiers came to victory in the War.

The tarpaulin boot definitely helped our soldiers reach Berlin in 1945!