ROF Style
“These are my all time favourite boots and I’m so glad I discovered this beautiful brand, founded in my favourite country South Africa. I’m actually capable of throwing all my other boots out of the window and only wear my ROF boots. Oh wait… I did.”
ROF is the Afrikaans word for ‘rough’ and stands for freedom, adventure, and off the beaten track. Everyone that can relate to this lifestyle (or dreams of it) can benefit from a pair of boots that represent this AND looks good in every casual setting. When you buy a pair of ROF-Style boots, you invest in a high quality shoe that you can wear for years, as well as in the South African economy. A boot that inspires you to choose experiences over stuff and is suitable for multiple occasions. They hope that our boots will be with you through many adventures and that they help you conquer whatever life throws at you. And then one day, when you decide it’s time for a new adventure, they hope you will pass our boots to a new generation for them to explore this planet.
It all started seven years ago when Dutch founders Laura and Leopold met each other under a beautiful oak tree in Wellington, South Africa. What started as a friendship, soon became more and they moved in together in the vibrant city of Amsterdam, they were surrounded by interesting people, had promising careers ahead and a comfortable lifestyle. However, having both grown up in the countryside, they missed that funny place outside the city – where they learned how to play – called nature.
After years of fantasizing about a life in South Africa, they decided to pursue our dream. In 2019 they changed our lifestyle and stepped into the unknown by moving back to the place where it all began. While living in one of the roughest, but at the same time trendiest places on earth, they realized we missed something: a pair of boots they could wear in every casual setting. This experience inspired them to establish ROF, the South African word for rough. A brand that stands for freedom, (outdoor) adventure and of the beaten track. Unpolished, firm and timeless boots, handmade by passionate local craftsmen. A way to bring handcrafted pieces from South Africa to the world.
This timeless unisex boots are made to protect your feet under all circumstances. Two nickel plated roller buckles and comfortable rubber soles are designed to optimize comfort and make you stand tall on your feet. Whether you’re into partying, hiking, driving motorcycles or riding horses, these boots will not disappoint you. One FOR all. Unisex. In every casual setting. ROF’s Tankwa boot can be worn all season – the inner sole is made from vegetable tanned leather and are highly recommended to avoid foot odor. The presence of tannin regulates the ecosystem inside the shoe, acting on the microorganisms responsible for bad smell. Even after many hours of wearing and under physical effort.
ROF’s first model is named after the Tankwa Karoo National Park, the place where they wore their ROF boots for the first time, right at the Afrika-burn festival. Loving the vibe!
ROF does their best to source all components locally to ensure a lower carbon footprint. They use South African sourced vegetable tanned leather and their ROF-Style boots are handmade by locally trained craftsmen. By teaching them a trade and providing them with fair wages, they indirectly support the local community. They sell in South Africa as well as overseas, and the profit is invested back into the South African economy. All boots are made by hand in smaller batches, this helps to prevent overstock and with that, the waste of precious raw materials!
The South African sourced Nguni leather is unpolished, firm, and handmade into ROF boots by passionate local craftsmen. Variations in colour, shading, texture, and shape are inherent to handmade leather boots. This means that every pair is unique and one-of-a-kind. The natural way of tanning allows the leather to keep most of its original features and with the right care, it ages well over time – Just like you.
They give you the simplicity of not having to choose between comfort and style, seasons trends or what is best for the environment, combined all in 1 classic style biker boot that comes in 3 colours. You have to try them on to know what I am talking about, these boots walk like heaven and look so cool under each and every outfit. Loving it, loving it!
Copyright pictures: Alexander Heinrichs, Iris Dorine, Lotty Verhulst & Claudia Schotman.
