What do well-known shoe brands show us? Usually, some sports celebrities with branded shoes on their feet. Lots of fun we’ll have with their products. Special outfits to keep up with the latest fashion trends.
However, they don’t mention some information on their homepage. They deliberately leave it out because they would suddenly not look as sexy and perfectly divine as before.
What aren’t the shoe manufacturers telling us?
Where the shoes are produced
Can you tell where the brands you like have a manufacturing plant? We know this for barefoot shoes because barefoot shoe manufacturers make no secret of their production in Portugal, The Czech Republic, or Germany. But for conventional shoes, we have no idea.
It’s hard to find out on their website. We might find out that they don’t even have an in-house production because their shoes are made to order. It wouldn’t be such a problem if the products weren’t shipped halfway around the world. How many emissions does that create? That’s not what companies brag about in their reports anymore.
Conditions in the production factories
The days when the distributor was not responsible for the condition of the manufacturer’s factory are gone. Responsible customers are interested in the whole supply chain, not just the end part. Barefoot shoe manufacturers often personally visit the family businesses where production takes place, maintain friendly relationships with them and oversee the sustainability and fairness of the entire operation.
Multinational corporations are regularly improving, and we can't deny that, but even if they mean well, do you believe they can remotely monitor everything? For example, are the workers at the machines sweating in the heat, or do the workers suffer from workplace bullying or discrimination? Does the money reach the workers' hands and correspond to a decent wage for a job of this difficulty?
What you are paying for
There are two extremes in shoe prices, suspiciously cheap shoes and overly expensive shoes. Barefoot footwear falls into the second category in the public eye. We assure you that you are paying for specialized products produced in small batches, under all ethical conditions, with certified materials that last a long time.
In contrast, with expensive designer shoes, you pay extra for the name and the shipping halfway around the world. You’d better not even want to know the manufacturing cost of one pair of such shoes because the overall margin might put you off, to put it mildly.
Of course, you already have some comparisons. For example, when retailers discount shoes three times, the price drops significantly to a fraction of the original. Then also when the offered shoes are some of the cheapest ones. If you buy these shoes, you won't pay for handmade, quality workmanship or durable materials. You are just paying for fast fashion impact on our planet.
Advertising dominates the market
We must defend all the sellers because they only supply the market with what customers buy. So as long as we encourage consumerism, it will never go away. Unfortunately, we are massaged by advertisements and promotions that greatly influence our judgment. Wouldn’t it be better if our purchasing decisions were guided by what is good for our bodies rather than by price tag, popularity or appearance?
That's why we choose barefoot shoes for ourselves and our children. Their wider toe box brings comfort to our toes in combination with the flat sole stability. At the same time, a thin flexible sole allows natural movement and the perception of the necessary impulses from the surface.
We aim to make barefoot shoes a fashion trend. But on "the battlefield", we are, for the time being, a David in a battle with Goliath. A large amount of finance backs up the classical footwear industry. Where once, thanks to advertising, gentlemen’s leather shoes lead the market, today sports trainers dominate, with health remaining far behind money in the priorities of such companies.
At least until you say: „Enough!“ Before you get sick of dishonest companies with skeletons in their closets. We don’t want to point fingers but try to browse the category Brands, and you’ll see how much detailed information the brand site offers about their processes compared to the shoe giants.