The Intini cork footbed

From the strap to the sole

• Upper and buckle. Genuine suede or PU faux leather over the toes, with one strap across the instep that closes on a buckle. The strap is what keeps your heel in the cup of an open-back clog.
• Insole. On the suede clog it is genuine suede, the part your bare foot touches.
• Arch contour. A raised line under the midfoot, shaped into the cork.
• Cork midsole. A band of cork that gives slightly under your weight and, with warmth and wear, takes a shallow print of your foot.
• Outsole. EVA with a molded tread, lighter than rubber, which meets the floor.

How the cork breaks in

A new cork bed feels firm, especially under the arch. Wear the clogs indoors for an hour or two at a time for the first week. Warmth and pressure slowly press the cork where your heel and the ball of your foot rest, and the bed starts to feel shaped rather than flat.

Leave the strap a hole looser in those first days. Once the cork has taken your print, tighten it so your heel stays in the hollow when you walk.

What a footbed can and cannot do

The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society writes that a shoe should have some arch support, in the shoe itself or in an insert. The American Podiatric Medical Association adds that store-bought inserts can add cushion, comfort and support but cannot correct foot problems, and that ongoing pain is a reason to see a podiatrist.

An open-back clog is also a backless shoe, and the National Institute on Aging lists backless shoes among footwear that raises the risk of a fall. Wear a closed shoe for ladders, wet stairs and long walks.

What is under your foot in each style