Last updated: October 2026. Prices and stock were checked on the day of writing.
Maasai beaded sandals are flat leather sandals with glass seed beads threaded and stitched on by hand, usually as a wide cuff around the ankle and a beaded strap or medallions down to the toe post. They come from Kenya, where Maasai beadwork is one of the best known crafts in East Africa, and they have become a summer staple far beyond it. This guide covers how they are made, how to choose a style, how to get the size right when the listing is in US sizes, and how to look after the beadwork.
How Maasai beaded sandals are made
Underneath, a beaded sandal is a simple, well made flat: a leather footbed, often with a stitched border, a leather sole and a leather toe post. Everything distinctive happens on top. The ankle cuff is built from many parallel strands of fine seed beads, gathered at the sides and stitched down so it curves around the back of the heel. Toe straps are either a solid beaded band or a run of round beaded medallions.
Because every bead is threaded by hand, no two pairs are spaced exactly alike. Small irregularities in a row are a sign of handwork, not a fault.
Choosing a style
Gladiator cuffs. A tall beaded cuff with a leather strap behind it that fastens at the ankle, so the sandal holds the foot instead of slipping off like a flip flop. The Maasai Beaded Gladiator Sandals in white and brown leather are the quiet version: a white cuff flecked with red, blue and yellow that sits with linen and denim. For more colour there are green, yellow and purple and black and white pairs from the same maker.
Bold, multicoloured cuffs. The classic Maasai palette of red, blue and yellow, as on the African Beaded Maasai Sandals, or the magenta and gold banding of the Beaded T Strap Sandals. These are the pairs people notice, so they work best with plain clothes.
Cowrie and motif pairs. The Cowrie Shell Beaded Sandals set natural cowries down the instep with a black bead cuff, the easiest pair to wear into the evening. The Swahili Butterfly Beaded Leather Sandals from Nairobi skip the cuff entirely: a beaded butterfly is sewn across a simple toe post sandal.
Toe ring and lighter styles. If a full cuff feels like too much, the Zigzag Beaded Toe Ring Sandals keep the beadwork to a beaded toe ring and a zigzag band across the instep.
All of these are made in Kenya and sold on Sokofa directly by the shops that make them. Browse every pair on the shoes page.
Getting the size right
Most Kenyan beaded sandals on Sokofa are listed in US sizes, which trips up UK buyers. As a rule of thumb for women's sizes, the US number is about two above the UK number: UK 4 is roughly US 6, UK 5 is US 7, UK 6 is US 8. Some listings give both, such as the butterfly pair, which runs from UK 3 / US 5 to UK 8 / US 10.
Flat leather sandals have no give in length, so if you are between sizes, go up. The beaded cuff sits around the ankle rather than squeezing the foot, so width matters less than in a closed shoe. When a listing gives a foot length, measure your own foot from heel to longest toe and compare directly.
Caring for beaded sandals
Keep them dry. Leather and bead thread both suffer when soaked, so take them off for the sea or the pool. Wipe the sole and footbed with a dry or barely damp cloth, let a wet pair dry at room temperature away from radiators, and store them flat so the cuffs keep their curve. A drop of leather conditioner on the footbed now and then stops it cracking. For more on looking after leather and handmade pieces, see our care guide.
Frequently asked questions
Are Maasai beaded sandals comfortable?
They are flat leather sandals, so they feel like any good leather flat once the footbed has softened, which usually takes a few wears. Pairs with an ankle strap hold the foot better on long walks than toe post styles.
Are the beads glued on?
On the pairs we checked for this guide, the makers describe the beads as threaded and stitched by hand, not glued. That is why the cuffs flex with the ankle and why the beadwork lasts if the sandals are kept dry.
What do the colours mean?
Colour carries meaning in Maasai beadwork, and red is the colour most associated with it. Our guide to Maasai and Tuareg jewellery goes further into the colours and the beadwork tradition.
Can I get Maasai sandals delivered to the UK?
Yes. Sokofa delivers worldwide, including the UK, and the delivery cost for your address is shown at checkout before you pay.