The value of taking things slow

In a society dominated by lightning-fast digital technologies, competitiveness in the workplace and the frenzy of too many daily commitments, the word ‘slow’ has taking on mainly negative connotations.

Slowness terrifies us as we constantly fear “being late”: we find ourselves rushing to get our tasks done, reach a destination or make a decision, according to our own self-established deadlines. However, we often fail to realise that this perception is completely subjective and there is no a priori right or wrong time to do something. In an ever-frenetic world, time has become ‘of the essence’ - one of the most scarce and precious commodities there is - and the fear of wasting it overwhelms us all from time to time.

While we profoundly respect our deadlines in regard to our supplier commitments and customer delivery times, we have opted for a less hectic working pace within the company itself. In fact, we wholeheartedly agree with the words of Lamberto Maffei, the author of the Elogio della lentezza [In Praise of Slowness] book: “The desire to emulate fast man-made machines, instead of our brains which are slow machines, becomes a source of anguish and frustration. (…) The clear prevalence of rapid thinking, starting from what we express through the use of digital tools, can lead to wrong solutions, in addition to damage to education and even civil life.”

Our slippers epitomise the value of taking things slow, showcased by the attention to detail, expertise and the recovery of ancient handcrafted traditions. Several years ago, and as a result of months of painstaking attempts, our father discovered the secret to perfect natural soles: a latex blend that is still used today in our Löwenweiss slippers. Furthermore, it is by always respecting the working pace of our artisans that we are able to obtain top quality footwear with optimum comfort and durability in mind. If you have already read the “How new slippers are created” article, then you will know that it takes many months of research, tests and tweaks to complete just the development phase of a new model.

If you step back and take a look at the world around you, you will find that slowness is an integral part of our universe and nourishes all its living inhabitants. The moon, stars and planets move slowly, a forest grows at a leisurely pace and even a baby grows slowly but surely inside a mother’s belly. Furthermore, a well-tended garden takes it’s time to bloom and this is thanks to the experience humankind has garnered over the years; even the most deeply rooted human relationships require time, care and dedication.

For this reason, every Löwenweiss slipper model has been designed to promote the psychophysical well-being of our customers, so that they can spend quality time with the people they love.