Made from old car and aeroplane tyres, the sandals were worn by many Vietnamese soldiers during the war against the French and the Americans. Many people call them “Uncle Ho sandals”, because they were the distinctive footwear of the late President during both war and peace. Nguyen Tien Cuong’s rubber sandal workshop on Ngoc Ha Street in Hanoi’s Ba Dinh district is a popular spot for people looking for footwear as hard-wearing and as practical as back in those days. Vua Dep Lop has exported its rubber sandals to 60 countries and territories for the last eight years. In Vietnam, many people, including young ones, are also interested in the sandals. Vua Dep Lop has been focusing on innovating materials, designs, and colours to create fashionable footwear for customers from all walks of life, from the elderly to youngsters and even children./.