This pair of woman's shoes are made in commercial cotton fabrics, and hand embroidered. The sole are made of home-grown hemp yarns. Foot binding was a ingrained traditional Chinese practice, primarily among Han Chinese women, that involved tightly wrapping young girls' feet to inhibit their growth, typically beginning between ages four and eight. The tradition began around the 10th century and lasted for roughly a millennium, aimed to create small, delicate feet considered a standard of beauty, a symbol of status, and a way to ensure a good marriage.  These embroidered short and pointed slippers were worn by elderly ladies with bound feet. The cloth sole layers are reinforced with heavy hemp twine stitches. Worn condition from long use.