Sawa sizing: European lasts, US labels, and how to pick your size
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The single most useful thing to know before ordering: the physical shoe is a European size. Anbessa builds the Tsagué and the Lafrica on European lasts, in EU 36 through EU 46. The US numbers on our size picker are a conversion of that, not the other way round. Every sizing question below follows from that one fact.
The conversion table
This is the exact mapping we use. Women's US is men's US plus 1.5.
| EU | Men's US | Women's US |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | 4 | 5.5 |
| 37 | 5 | 6.5 |
| 38 | 5.5 | 7 |
| 38.5 | 6 | 7.5 |
| 39 | 6.5 | 8 |
| 40 | 7 | 8.5 |
| 41 | 8 | 9.5 |
| 42 | 8.5 | 10 |
| 42.5 | 9 | 10.5 |
| 43 | 9.5 | 11 |
| 44 | 10 | 11.5 |
| 45 | 11 | 12.5 |
| 46 | 12 | 13.5 |
If you already know your EU size from another European-made shoe, use that row and ignore the US number you usually buy.
Why the US ladder has gaps
You will notice the sizes jump: 8, then 8.5, then 9.5. That is not an oversight. The EU ladder is continuous (41, 42, 43), and each of those converts to a US number that happens not to be evenly spaced. We show the sizes that physically exist rather than inventing intermediate ones we cannot make.
How it fits
These are leather court shoes, not running shoes. Two practical consequences:
- Compared to an athletic sneaker, take your normal size. The last is not narrow, but it is not a wide either. If you wear a US 9 in a Nike or New Balance running shoe, a US 9 here will fit.
- Full-grain leather gives, but only across the width. A pair that is a touch snug over the top of the foot in week one will be right by week three. A pair that is short at the toe will still be short. Length is the dimension that does not change.
If you are between sizes
Go up. A leather upper that has a few millimetres of room will settle onto your foot; one that is fractionally short will press the toe every step and there is no breaking that in. This is the opposite of the usual advice for canvas sneakers.
If you have a wide foot
Go up one step and expect to use the lacing to take up the volume rather than sizing to your length. The stitched construction means the shoe holds its shape rather than stretching out of it.
If it is wrong
You have 30 days to exchange or return an unworn pair. The full terms are on the returns and exchanges page.