New Barefoot Shoe Brands in 2025
I read something recently that said there are now 100 barefoot shoe brands; I honestly think that’s an understatement. The growth has been exponential lately. It felt like not a week went by in 2025 when I learned about a new barefoot shoe brand, or an existing brand adding a barefoot (or at least foot-shaped) shoe to their lineup.
Ironically, the most derided barefoot shoe of them all—Vibram FiveFingers—ended up being the it-girl shoe of the summer. I couldn’t find a pair of V-Souls in stock anywhere. Even Vogue had to comment on it. And if high-fashion brands are any indication, wide toe boxes might actually be in style. Luxury brands like Loewe, Burberry, Balenciaga, and Bottega Veneta are experimenting with what look like foot-shaped toe boxes, along with other barefoot-adjacent features, including thinner soles. Have we finally reached the point where barefoot shoes have crossed over from niche to mainstream?
What I’m seeing now is conventional shoe brands starting to offer barefoot options—even mega brands like Zara. And brands like El Naturalista, which has flirted with the idea of “natural” footwear since its inception, are finally releasing truly foot-shaped, zero-drop models.
If you’re feeling like you’ve seen it all, or you’re bored with your current rotation, this list is worth a look. Switching to barefoot shoes doesn’t have to mean giving up on fashion.
New Barefoot Brands
These are newly launched brands debuting their first barefoot shoes in 2025.
Notace
Notace, a new US-based brand, launched their first shoe this fall—the Yama T1, a feather-light trail shoe that retails for $180. It has a moderate 15 mm stack height (including a 3 mm insole), and it balances the cushion for comfort with the flexibility and ground feel really well. Fit-wise, I tried both a women’s 7.5 and 8, and the 8 was definitely the better match for me. They also have court shoes and road runners in the pipeline, so this is a brand worth keeping an eye on. Use code KELLY for 10% off!
Brambas
Spain seems to be the birthplace of cool, retro barefoot sneakers at the moment— and Brambas is one of the newest options. Brambas launched on Kickstarter late 2024 and started shipping out their shoes a few months later. The first Brambas style was the Calabria 165 sneaker, made with corn leather uppers and soft bamboo lining. I opted for my usual size, an EU38, and they feel like the perfect fit. Use code KELLY for 10% off.
Aviary
This brand launched their classic white leather sneaker at the very end of last year, but since it’s my first time doing this list, I thought I’d give a little bit of wiggle room to the cut off. Aviary’s barefoot sneaker is a sleek, minimalist option. The upper is made from LWG Gold-rated leather, and the outsole is a full rubber vulcanized sole.
The fit is most similar to Xero Shoes—best suited for narrow to medium width feet. On my medium width feet (23.3 cm long, 9 cm wide), I’d prefer a little more space around the pinky toe. They have enough volume for my higher instep, but they don’t come with an extra insole to adjust fit. I found them true to size—EU 38 fits me well.
These run on the higher end of barefoot sneakers, retailing at $199. Aviary offers free shipping and free returns. If you’re on the hunt for a clean, classic white sneaker, these are worth a look. Use code KELLY for 10% off.
Strong Feet Athletics
Although not a standard barefoot shoe, Strong Feet Athletics offers foot-shaped cycling shoes—something the barefoot community has been asking for for years. The Strong Feet Athletic Leviathan cycle shoes work with SPD, SPD-SL, Look-type, and Delta 3-hole style cleats and pedals and have a true anatomical shape. I’ve tried them out, and they have plenty of room in the toe box for my medium width feet. I’d say these could fit wide, possibly extra wide feet. I opted for the EU38 since that is currently their smallest size. It’s a little bit on the roomier side for my 23.3cm feet, but everything secures down nicely. With that, I’d say they fit true to their size chart.
Existing Brands that Added a Barefoot Style
I’m almost even more excited about this section. These are brands that are adding a barefoot option to an existing lineup, or in some cases fully reworking their brand to move into the barefoot space.
Early on, most brands entering the barefoot shoe market were understandably focused on function first. Foot shape, flexibility, and ground feel were the priority, and fashion often felt like a secondary consideration. That’s not a knock on the space. Many of these brands were built by incredibly passionate entrepreneurs solving a real problem. But most didn’t come from a background in fashion, footwear development, or design.
There’s been some truly impressive innovation, and it’s been amazing to watch people build brands from the ground up. At the same time, after being in this space for years, it’s clear that some early products just weren’t quite there yet — whether that showed up as design quirks, material choices that didn’t age well, or constructions that could have been refined. Making a shoe from scratch is hard, and a lot of that knowledge only comes with experience.
That’s why it’s exciting to see established footwear brands stepping into the barefoot space. They already know how to build a shoe. With that foundation in place, they can focus more on refining the design and creating styles that are on-trend. My hope is that this brings more variety, more wearable options, and helps elevate barefoot shoes as a category overall.
Dolfie Paradise
Dolfie Paradise has been in the shoe business since 2007. It takes a lot to complete revamp your business, but that’s what Dolfie did in 2025. Instead of just adding a barefoot shoe to their existing line-up, they new they spent two years in development, launching with fully-reworked designs that featured a natural foot-shape and zero-drop sole. Their vibrant colorways and chunky silhouettes prove that barefoot shoes can be bold and expressive. The new Dolfie Paradise barefoot sneakers are a great option for beginners with their moderate cushion; each shoe comes with two sets of insoles to adjust for your fit and comfort. They have a kids’ line of barefoot shoes too. Use code KELLYDP10 for 10% off.
Clotsy
Clotsy is a slow fashion brand based in Spain that recently launched its first barefoot shoe collection, which features ballet flats and sandals, and now sneakers. Their ballet flats are some of my favorites! Check out the full review of Clotsy barefoot shoes here. Use code KELLY for 10% off.
Pikolinos
Pikolinos is an established Spanish footwear brand that recently added a barefoot shoe line. Currently, it includes two casual leather sneakers that look and feel every bit as premium as their traditional styles. They’re lightweight, flexible, and nicely made, but they do run narrower.
Each pair comes with two insoles: a simple barefoot insole with a few millimeters of cushion, and a transitional option with arch support and additional padding in the heel that creates a small heel drop. These are best for low to medium volume feet; my higher instep makes them feel a bit snug with the insole included. I took them out for more room, and they still have a thin layer of cushion built into the shoe. I’m wearing an EU 38.
Alohas
Similar to Pikolinos, Alohas is another popular Spanish shoe brand that just created their first barefoot sneaker. The TB.83 sneakers have a foot-shaped toe box and a zero drop sole (yes, they’re doing that heel drop illusion that so many barefoot brands are doing these days). They come with two sets of insoles: a 3mm and a 5mm, so you can adjust for fit and cushion level.
Alba Pluma
Alba Pluma is an Italian-based brand with several barefoot styles, including clogs, May Janes, loafers and sneakers. I’ve been loving clogs and mules this year, so I tried their Delia clogs. I was surprised at how affordable they were for a shoe made in Italy; the suede ones I’m wearing are €82.
They do fit on the narrower side, and the sole is firmer than what I usually prefer. It is a 10 mm rubber and EVA sole that should soften with wear. I can bend them (though not easily) and they are comfortable enough to walk in, but as of now, I can still feel some resistance when walking. Stay tuned as they have plans to offer a wider version in summer 2026.
They are not shipping to the US yet, so this one is mainly for my EU readers, but they are looking into US shipping for the future.
El Naturalista
El Naturalista has been tip-toeing around more natural foot shapes for awhile, but they fully stepped into the barefoot shoe space this year. They now offer several true barefoot styles with significantly wider toe boxes than their original line, all built on zero-drop soles. With each new season, they’ve continued to expand the collection. I tried their fisherman sandals this summer, which had more width than I needed, and a very flexible sole. Most recently, their Nomada Chelsea boots generated a lot of buzz—chunkier than a traditional barefoot shoe, but still foot-shaped and zero-drop.
While El Naturalista is pretty reasonably priced on their Spanish website, they do get a bit expensive when you include tariffs, shipping to the US, and the current exchange rate.
RawClays
RawClays is another Italy-based brand, and they stand out for their unique wooden footbed design. At first glance, “wooden footbed” sounds like the opposite of what you would ever want in a flexible, minimalist shoe, but theirs is more like a series of thin wooden tiles that move with your foot. It creates a surprisingly natural, grounded feeling underfoot while still allowing the shoe to bend. Their lineup includes sandals, casual everyday styles and boots, all built with high-quality materials and a clean, modern aesthetic. If you have been curious about trying something different in the barefoot space, RawClays offers a really interesting take on structure and flexibility that you won’t find anywhere else.
Libertas Barefoot
Libertas launched with a tabi ballet flat in 2024, which could definitely be considered a barefoot shoe (it’s foot-shaped for sure), but it felt appropriate to include them on this list for 2025 as they launched a more standard barefoot sneaker in 2025. To be more accurate, it falls more in the on-trend sneakerina category. I got my hands on a pair, and they look and feel amazing. All of the materials feel very premium. I would say they run smaller than their size chart though! I got a size EU37 as the size chart lists the shoe length at 24.5cm….I’d put it more at under 24cm, and should’ve stuck with my typical size of EU38.
Use code KELLY12 for 12% off your Libertas barefoot shoes.
Flamingos Life
Flamingos Life has been around for over a decade, focusing on making ethically-conscious and sustainable sneakers. They’re based in (you guessed it!) Spain, and recently added a barefoot shoe to their line up. Some outsole suppliers are starting to offer their own line of barefoot shoe soles that can be used by other brands, which I think will encourage more shoe brands to try out a barefoot shoe. I think that’s the case here, because the sole used on Flamingos Life is made by a popular outsole supplier in Portugal, and I’ve already seen two other brands use the same outsole (the Dolfie Supersonics and the Ohne Project Retro Run Sneakers).
Zara
Okay, Zara is definitely not new—but barefoot shoes from them are! I started seeing barefoot shoes pop up in the spring with barefoot-style sneakers in toddler and kid sizes. And then in the summer, some super cute Mary Janes and retro sneakers. And finally in the fall, spree Barefoot Chelsea Boots! If you’re an EU39 or smaller, you could snag a surprisingly decent barefoot option for just $42.90. I tested them myself—check out the full review here.
