Canadian start-up prepares for Outdoor Retailer
25/07/2011
Toronto-based Barefooters makes its shoes from natural cork and silicone and is the brain-child of co-chief executives, David Van Klaveren and João Araujo. The two have spent the past two years designing and building a shoe that delivers a ‘feel great’ experience for consumers who want style, affordability and “the freedom of walking the way nature intended”.
David Van Klaveren has explained that the ‘feel great’ experience starts with the “feeling of freedom from walking barefoot”, but goes further. He said recently: “The materials used and the manufacturing and design process have been created to ensure the customer feels great about the product, the environmental impact, the price, and the wellness benefits of the shoe and of the insoles.” The insole inserts have their own trademarked name, Oooaaahs.
Barefooters are designed and manufactured in Italy and come in three colours, and offer consumers the opportunity to change the look by switching the original strap with a second colour strap, included in the package. The straps are secured using buttons embossed with a ‘feel great face’, which represents both the company’s logo and its “approach to doing business”.
“We want consumers to understand the philosophy of the company through every touch point in their experience with the shoe,” João Araujo has said.
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