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If you have any questions, please email us at: info@filii.eu. You can reach our customer service hotline from Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Maybe you will find your answer in our terms and conditions or FAQs.
Information about online dispute resolution?
The European Commission provides a platform for online dispute resolution (OS), which you can find here https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/. We are not obliged or willing to participate in a dispute resolution procedure before a consumer arbitration board.
The word barefoot and the word shoe in one term sound very contradictory at first, but barefoot shoes are used to describe footwear that mimics walking barefoot.
Essentially, this type of shoe is characterized by the following features:
- Very soft and flexible
- Light weight
- Thin flexible sole without heel
- No footbed or other unnecessary support features
As with traditional shoes, our barefoot shoes are worn with socks. This is even advisable for hygienic and health reasons, since high-quality socks specifically drain foot sweat and have a climatically regulating effect. In addition, any pressure points can be defused or blisters prevented.
For more than 40 years, WMS® is a seal of quality from the German Shoe Institute for tested children's shoes and the measurement of children's feet. The change of children's feet is continuously checked by scientific studies and integrated into WMS, to give you and your child the highest level of safety and reliability when buying children's shoes.
Filii®-BAREFOOT is the first and only barefoot shoe manufacturer licensed by WMS®!
For more information about WMS, please visit www.wms-schuh.de.
Why is barefoot walking healthy?
It is the most original and healthy form of walking. This is because feet have many receptors and muscles to sense and adapt to the characheristics of the ground. Unlike sturdy footwear, walking barefoot trains sensorimotor skills, strengthens foot muscles, promotes correct toe position and healthy posture.
Barefoot walking:
- Promotes self-sensation (proprioception) and sensorimotor function
- Strengthens foot muscles and tendons
- Improves posture
- Reduces the risk of developing fallen arches, bent feet, splay foot, flat feet, heel spurs, hallux valgus, Achilles tendon problems, etc.
Which walk is correct - ball walk or heel walk?
Walking barefoot and walking in shoes differ enormously. While most people walk in classical shoes with the heel, trained barefoot walkers walk with the front foot.
Every person walks barefoot automatically in a ball gait, i.e. the foot comes up flat with the whole sole or with the front area (the ball) first. The heel is loaded only very slightly.
With "normal" shoes, which have a heel, the foot is forced to strike first with the heel. This incorrectly trained heel gait prevents the resulting forces from being gently absorbed and thus places additional stress on the joints and bones.
All children naturally walk with a ball gait. Adults who have been walking in heel gait for years need some time to change.
In contrast to barefoot shoes, "normal" shoes almost always have at least a slight heel. The foot is therefore slightly elevated in the heel area. To correct this "malposition", the pelvis is tilted forward and the spine forms a hollow back. A natural and healthy posture is thus no longer possible.
Furthermore, Filii®-BAREFOOT shoes have a soft and flexible sole, which makes it possible to feel surfaces. Also important is the natural shape in the toe area, so that the toes can fan out and no malpositions are caused.
All this reduces the risk of suffering from flat, bent, splay or flat feet.Thanks to the special 3,5mm thin minimal sole of Filii-BAREFOOT, children can discover the environment and are still sufficiently protected. We point out that damage caused by the use of Bobby car or running wheel is not a reason for complaint.
Can you wear FILII-BAREFOOT when is cold?
When you walk in a ball gait, the foot is much more active and the result is much better blood circulation than when it stands motionless in a standard shoe.
You only need a really thick sole, when it is clearly below zero and you are standing on the spot for a long time. In motion with suitable socks, you can get by with surprisingly little sole. However, we are talking about the so-called comfort zone and it is different for each person.
For really cold days we recommend our winter models with real wool lining. For the cold days there is also optional warm insole for the unlined models.
Do you necessarily need sturdy footwear in the terrain?
At first it seems logical that the foot should be protected from stones etc. by thick soles and that sturdy footwear should protect the foot from injury. However, this is only true for heel walkers.
Practiced ball walkers, on the other hand, feel the ground and have a strong, trained foot that does not twist as easily because the foot can balance itself better.
The minimal soles also provide sufficient protection against sharp stones.
Why is this topic so important for children?
The bones of all children are still soft. The feet are still malleable and only slowly ossify. Incorrect or unhealthy footwear can therefore cause great damage.
Compared to adults, the following things must be known and observed:
- The transverse and longitudinal arch in the foot is not yet formed
- Children's feet grow much faster
- Children can usually only feel flat pressures on their feet
- Children's feet have special proportions
- At the beginning of their walk, children must be able to feel the ground well
These conditions make children's feet very sensitive to unsuitable footwear. Shoes that are too tight can permanently deform the feet. The consequences can be postural deformities, headaches, foot malpositions and even displaced teeth. Even if many effects are not directly associated with the footwear, the cause is usually poor shoes.
If the first problems have already occurred, they are usually very costly to correct again. Some problems also remain for a lifetime.
Toddlers learn to walk intuitively. They feel the ground with their feet and balance themselves. Firm shoes and thick soles block the expected and necessary feedback because the ground cannot be felt. What is the ground like? Hard or soft? Uneven or smooth or what is the distance to the ground?
Filii-BAREFOOT barefoot shoes, however, enable this transfer of information and thus help your child learn to walk in a natural, healthy way.
How to determine the correct shoe size for Filii-BAREFOOT barefoot shoes?
Unfortunately, all manufacturers have different shoe sizes. Thanks to the WMS system, you have a suitable measuring system at Filii-BAREFOOT.
To determine the appropriate size, a WMS measuring device is generally used, which is available in every WMS specialty store.
If you want to determine the shoe size at home, we have put together a small guide under the heading "What size do I need".
Please note that shoes with fleece lining may run a little smaller and winter shoes with wool lining may run at least half a size smaller.
Only the shoe length can be determined with this. The shoe width is unfortunately very difficult to determine without a measuring device, but usually you can quickly see whether the child has a high instep. In this case, you should take the width W.
Why are Filii´s not waterproof? OUR SHOES BREATHE!
Filii BAREFOOT does not currently offer waterproof models!
We offer only high quality "breathable" kids & adults minimal shoes. Important: Only a rubber boot is waterproof, all membrane shoes get wet after 4-6 hours and have to be impregnated in the same way or the materials are pre-treated with water-repellent chemicals. Our shoes are in no way waterproof despite Filii-TEX membrane with no PFC of course. Only the best for you and nature! The membrane protects the shoe against moisture. All our shoes should be pre-treated with the recommended agent before wearing.
We at Filii develop our products from natural materials (organic leather, vegetable tanned, GOTS textiles, PET recycled textiles... and only sustainable materials with OEKO TEX or GOTS certificate. The production is just as sustainable in the EU. We support that!
Please remember: Always impregnate our shoes with a suitable waterproofing spray or wax. This makes the shoes more water repellent and prevents additional water or salt stains in winter, which otherwise remain forever.
How to care for Filii-BAREFOOT barefoot shoes?
For suede, coarse dirt (after drying) should be cleaned with a special brush.
Smooth leather shoes should be additionally treated with a suitable shoe care product to keep the leather supple. If you have purchased high-quality shoes from the organic collection (vegetable-tanned leather), we would like to point out that these models can be more care-intensive and optical changes such as fading can occur due to the material.
In general, we recommend spraying the shoes with our recommended * Collonil waterproofing spray 2x before wearing.
Have fun, walking or running!
How to return shoes (exchange to other size or color is not possible, please just reorder)?
For the love of nature: the buyer is paying for return costs.
To do this, please send the shoes back to us in the original packaging and inform us of the order number and the reason for the return. The original carton must not be made unusable with adhesive tape. Please use an outer packaging. Payments with Paypal will be refunded directly through the Paypal account and bank transfers to the bank account. Please note that refunds can take up to 14 days.
If an item needs to be exchanged in size or model, please reorder regardless of the first order.
Size exchange:
If the size should not fit, please send the shoes back to us as a "normal" return on your own costs and re-order the desired model/size. A direct exchange of your order is unfortunately not possible. We recommend that you insure your package and send it to us in our original packaging. We only accept new shoes!!!
Does Filii-BAREFOOT also deliver to Switzerland?
For customers ordering from Switzerland, we will include an export certificate upon request to allow for a subsequent VAT refund.
