Our History
Bear Feet began in an attempt to create the perfect baby shoe - soft and non-constricting, but also stylish.
Thus the classic Little Bear Feet infant bootie was
designed, hand-cut and hand-sewn out of a tiny scrap of
leather. In
1985, in Austin Texas, the name Bear Feet was born and the shoe company began.
Bear Feet began selling to small stores with similar philosophy, such as Whole Foods
Market
in their very first store in Austin, TX.
In the early 90s, as the company grew, orders were coming in from all over the
country. Bear Feet quickly established a reputable name and
over the years created lines for companies such as
Burberry Baby, Strasburg, and Earthlings.
We have
grown over the years and although some things have
changed one thing remains the same - our unconditional
commitment to quality. Today our shoes are still
handmade in USA of US and European materials.
Our philosophy
Bear Feet are made in USA. We use mostly American-made
supplies, including our soling material and most of our
leather. Our buckles, thread, and specialized leathers
(metallic and glittery) are supplied from Italy and
Germany.
Our shoes are artisan made with special attention given to every
shoe, which makes each and every one of them particularly unique.
We believe in using as many natural or organic products as
possible. We produce no chemical waste,
donate our 2nds and scrap leather, and keep a low stock
since our products are made to order.
The soles on our rubber soled shoes are made from the sap of the
Hevea tree. The rubber is tapped in a process similar to maple
sugaring, preserving the life of the tree. This sustainable method
of soling is ecologically superior to other companies' who use
petroleum based plastics and rubber.
All of our leather is a byproduct
of animals that have been raised for the meat. The animals have not
been hunted or raised for their skin.
Why Bear Feet
are Best!
Bear Feet are unique in that they mold to the shape of the foot
instead of forcing the foot to conform. They are more flexible than
most shoes, which is important because children are not heavy enough to fully flex most
other soles. Virtually all shoes that come from factories today are
pre-shaped to the form of an "ideal" foot with
thermoforming plastics sewn between the upper and the
lining - this is not the case with our shoes. We all
know that every foot is unique, and that is why we let
the foot shape our shoes and not the other way around.
There are various studies to suggest that walking bare
foot is actually better for the growth of children's
feet and the only purpose of shoes should be to protect
the feet. Of course, we think shoes should be stylish too, so Bear Feet
are offered in a wide variety of colors and styles.
Product attributes
Our leathers are high quality top-grain, suede, metallic, patent,
and nubuck. Our metal parts are steel or brass, our crystals are
Genuine Swarovski. We guarantee all craftsmanship of our stitching,
rivets, eyelets, buckles and soles. If any of these parts should
fail, please email sales@bearfeet.com or call 1-800-473-0641.
Bear Feet...'cause bare feet are best!
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