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Huaraches (singularhuaracheSpanish pronunciation:[waˈɾatʃe]; derived fromwarachi inPurépecha) are a type ofMexicansandal,Pre-Columbian in origin.
The sandals are believed related to thecactle orcactli, ofNáhuatl origin. The name "huarache" is derived from thePurépecha language termkwarachi, and directly translates intoEnglish as sandal.[citation needed]
Early forms have been found in and traced to the countryside farming communities ofJalisco,Michoacan,Guanajuato andYucatan. Originally of all-leather construction, the thong structure around the main foot is still traditionally made with hand-woven braided leather straps.[1]
Huaraches gained popularity inNorth America as part of the 1960shippie lifestyle. By the end of the 20th century they were to be found all over North andSouth America.
Traditional huarache designs vary greatly, but are always very simple. Originally made of all-leather, later designs included woven string soles and occasionally thin wooden soles. Subsequently, more elaborate upper designs were created by saddlers and leather workers.
The modern huarache developed from the adoption in the 1930s of makingsoles byrecycling used rubber from automotivetires. Modern designs vary in style from a simplistic sandal to a more complex shoe, using both traditional leather as well as more modern synthetic materials.[2]
Many shoes claim to be huaraches, but they are only considered traditional huaraches if they are handmade, and have a woven-leather form in the upper.[1]
Huaraches are mentioned in the lyrics of theBeach Boys songs "Surfin' U.S.A." and "Noble Surfer", in the novelAsk the Dust, written byJohn Fante (Camilla Lopez's shoes), and also in the novelOn the Road, written byJack Kerouac. Huaraches figure prominently into the title and plot of the 1964Looney Tunes cartoon short,Señorella and the Glass Huarache, a Mexican-themed adaptation of theCinderella fairy tale. Skeeter Phelan wears a pair of the shoes, which her traditionalist Southern mother hates, in theKathryn Stockett novelThe Help. Doc Sportello, the detective fromThomas Pynchon'sInherent Vice, wears a pair of huaraches. He eventually loses one shoe and finishes the adventure using only the other one. In theSeinfeld season 8 episode "The Millennium"Elaine Benes attempts to buy a pair of huaraches from an uninterested shop owner.
While huaraches originated in various regions in Mexico, they hold great significance inChicano populations. For Chicanos, huaraches were more than just a shoe. The sandal held cultural significance for participants of theChicano Movement, specifically those who attended university. They were “a sign of resistance and affirmation of one’s culture”. A symbol of poverty, Chicanos reclaimed the shoe to represent their pride for the Mexican heritage. In addition, huaraches were an outlet for Chicanos to express their cultural identity and reject the American culture that aimed to erase their ethnic history. Along with huaraches, Chicanos would wear other traditional Mexican garments such asrebozos,ponchos, andhuipil dresses.[3]
In the present day, huaraches remain an important symbol and staple of Mexican culture. But the rise in popularity of Mexican culture has resulted in the mass-production of the shoes to accommodate for the high demand.[2] This has led to some vendors taking advantage of Mexican producers of the shoes. This is done in several different ways. Some vendors choose to buy the product at the source (Mexico) at a low cost and re-sell the shoe in America at an increased price without giving any credit to the people creating the shoes. Others choose to utilize imported artificial materials. There are still vendors that focus on keeping the materials authentic, import from Mexico, and strive to pay their Mexican workers living wages, giving them more opportunities for expanding their business.
In August 2025, Mexican authorities accused sportswear company Adidas of plagiarizing artisans in southern Mexico, alleging that a new sandal design is strikingly similar to the traditional Indigenous footwear known as huaraches.[4] Nike has also had a brand of running shoes called Huarache since 1991, with a design they claim is inspired by the sandal.[5]