Short answer: Kolhapuri chappal is registered in India as a geographical indication, but the official records reviewed for this guide do not establish one exact origin year, a specific royal court or an uninterrupted 800-year production chain. IP India’s current record confirms the registration details; it does not make every retail pair “GI-certified” or prove every commonly repeated history claim.
By Hammad Shahid for STEPSOFT.
What does the official record confirm?
| Question |
Documented answer |
What it does not prove |
| Is Kolhapuri chappal registered as a GI? |
Yes. IP India lists application 169, “Kolhapuri Chappal,” with status Registered, class 25 and goods described as handicraft. |
That every similarly named online product comes from an authorised user. |
| Which area is named? |
The application page summarises the geographical area as India (Karnataka and Maharashtra). |
The origin, producer or construction of a particular retail pair. |
| What dates are documented? |
The record shows filing on 4 May 2009, certificate date 11 December 2018 and registration valid through 3 May 2029. |
The historical date on which the footwear tradition began. |
| Who is named by the Government? |
A Ministry of Textiles reply published on 1 August 2025 names LIDCOM and LIDKAR and says the registration was facilitated by the Central Leather Research Institute. |
That STEPSOFT is a registered proprietor or authorised user. |
| Is a 12th- or 13th-century origin settled? |
Those dates appear in many popular accounts, but the accessible official pages reviewed here do not establish one precise starting year or royal patron. |
A verified “800-year” age claim. |
A registration timeline, not an origin legend
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4 May 2009: the official record lists the filing date for application 169.
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9 August 2018: the application page lists journal availability.
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11 December 2018: the official page lists certificate number 329 and this certificate date.
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July 2019: a 2025 Ministry of Textiles reply describes the Kolhapuri chappal as having been registered in July 2019. This is why public accounts often cite 2019.
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3 May 2029: the IP India application page lists the registration as valid up to this date.
These dates describe the modern GI record. They should not be presented as the age of the footwear tradition itself.
History, GI status and product claims require different evidence
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Historical claims need directly traceable historical or archival evidence.
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GI status and legal scope should be checked in the official IP India register and its documents.
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Authorised-user status should be checked against the register’s current authorised-user entries.
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Material, construction and producer claims need evidence for the exact product—not assumptions based on its category name or visual style.
STEPSOFT does not use this article to claim that the company is a GI proprietor or authorised user. It also does not label every product in the collection as GI-certified, handmade, traditionally produced or made from one universal material.
Buyer checklist: what to verify on a specific pair
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Material: read the exact product description for upper, lining and sole details when they are provided.
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Construction: do not infer hand-stitching, nail-free construction or vegetable tanning from appearance alone.
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Origin and producer: ask for product-level evidence when geographical origin matters to the purchase.
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GI authorisation: check the official register rather than relying on a retail category label.
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Fit: measure both feet and compare the result with the selectable sizes and guidance on the exact product page.
Browse the STEPSOFT Kolhapuri collection →
Use the evidence-led Kolhapuri buying guide →
Measure for Kolhapuri fit →
Frequently asked questions
Is the Kolhapuri chappal exactly 800 years old?
The tradition is widely described as centuries old, but the official sources reviewed for this page do not establish an exact 800-year age or one precise 12th-century origin date.
Was the GI registered in 2018 or 2019?
Both dates appear in official material for different parts of the record. IP India lists a certificate date of 11 December 2018; a Ministry of Textiles reply published in 2025 describes the registration as occurring in July 2019. This guide reports both rather than collapsing them into one date.
Which states are covered by the registration summary?
The IP India application page summarises the geographical area as Karnataka and Maharashtra. Consult the official record and linked documents for the current legal detail.
Does the GI make every Kolhapuri-style sandal authentic?
No. A similar shape, product title or retail category does not establish origin, authorised-user status, materials or production method for an individual pair.
Is STEPSOFT an authorised user of the Kolhapuri chappal GI?
This article makes no such claim. Buyers who need that assurance should check the current authorised-user list in the official register.
How this guide was prepared
Reviewed 18 September 2026. We checked IP India’s live application page for Kolhapuri Chappal (application 169), including status, geographical-area summary, certificate details and validity date; the Ministry of Textiles reply published on 1 August 2025; and the current STEPSOFT catalogue. The cover photograph illustrates the form of a brown toe-loop sandal. It is not evidence of the pictured pair’s producer, origin, material, age or GI-authorised status.
