98% of people are born with healthy feet, yet only 20% of adults maintain their foot health. Why? Because of the shoes they wear. Conventionally, shoes are narrow and have thick stiff soles that discourage movement. In return, the foot muscles can’t find the room to grow strong and develop on their own. The world is in desperate need of an unconventional shoe that doesn’t hinder foot growth. That’s where this brand come in.
Wildling Shoes is a purpose driven company that produces minimalist shoes that encourage foot muscle growth and health, made of natural and sustainable materials. The goal brand’s goal is to leave a positive footprint on Earth.
The First Steps of Wildling Shoes
The idea started when Anna and Ran Yona, the founders of Wildling Shoes, moved from Israel to Germany. In Israel their kids would always play barefoot, but that had to change in the cold climate of Germany.
However, when the duo looked for kids shoes, they couldn’t find any that their kids actually wanted to wear. Anna and Ran realized that most shoes were designed poorly and harmed foot-health, and decided to fix the problem themselves.
After doing some research, the couple found out that most shoes were designed in a way that made feet weak and adopt an unnatural shape. The narrowness of shoes causes toes to bunch at an angle. Shocked to learn about foot deformation caused by shoes, they set out to make a shoe that allowed feet to grow and change naturally.
Shoes For Anyone and Everyone
After Anna and Ran designed their first shoe that would revolutionize foot health, they set out to produce it. Many manufacturers laughed them off, claiming their design wasn’t one of a real shoe. They had to visit six different production companies before they could find a manufacturer willing to give this innovative idea a go.
After a successful crowdfunding campaign, in 2015 Anna and Ran made about 9000 shoes for kids from the ages four to ten. The shoes immediately became a big success, and a community started growing around the shoes. Once parents found out about the negative effects of the shoes they were wearing, they started to ask whether Anna and Ran would produce the same shoes for adults.
Realizing the demand for adult shoes, Wildling Shoes began producing adult sizes. With a customer base ranging from kids to adults, Wildling Shoes is on a mission to make sure everyone has healthy feet while looking stylish.
An Unconventional Shoe
Wildling Shoes are more than just a cute accessory. They are designed to protect the feet from injuries and weather alike, while also allowing space for feet to move naturally and grow. With these goals in mind, the shoes took nearly two years to design.
Wildling Shoes are created to fit around the anatomical foot shape. While the shoe is naturally designed for wider feet, the laces are placed in a way that allows people with narrower than average feet to tighten their shoes. With soles between 1.5 mm (0.590 inch) and 3.5 mm (1.377 inch), Wildling Shoes provides the protection of a regular shoe while also letting you feel barefoot.
With their gender-neutral designs suitable for people of all ages, Wildling Shoes were created for anyone and everyone who want to preserve their foot-health and have a positive impact on environmental sustainability.
A Positive Ecological Footprint
Just like Wildling Shoes cares about your foot-health, the brand also cares about the Earth that those feet walk on. Ecological responsibility is a big objective for Wildling Shoes. By building long-term relationships with suppliers, whose sustainability goals match that of Wildling Shoes’, the brand commits to sustainability throughout the entire supply chain.
Committed to continuing to reduce its ecological footprint, Wildling Shoes carefully selects their materials, sourced from trustworthy and long-term partners with environmentally friendly distribution channels. Cotton, linen, hemp, paper, and wool are the main materials of Wildling Shoes; the brand does not use leather in their shoes, since finding cruelty-free leather is rare.
They care about both the customer and the earth, with the ultimate goal of having a positive impact on humanity. So why don’t you jump right in and give Wildling Shoes a try? Check out their shoes here!
Be sure to check out the fashinnovation blog for more exciting reads!
By Isabella LaPlant
