Barefoot Shoes (also called minimalist shoes) are designed to let your feet move as naturally as possible. They share four key features: a wide toe box that lets toes splay naturally, a thin and flexible sole for ground feel, zero drop (no heel elevation), and no stiff internal structure or arch support. The goal is to let the foot do what it was designed to do, rather than be propped up or restricted by the shoe.

Zero drop means the heel and the forefoot of the shoe sit at exactly the same height – there is no elevation at the heel. Conventional shoes typically raise the heel by 1.0-2.5cm, which shifts your weight forward and changes how you walk. Zero drop encourages a more natural, upright posture and a gait closer to barefoot walking.

A wide toe box is the part of the shoe that houses the toes. In a properly wide toe box, your toes can spread apart naturally rather than being compressed together. This matters because toes are designed to splay outward when bearing weight – they help with balance, propulsion and stability. Shoes with narrow, tapered toe boxes (including many conventional children's shoes) restrict this movement and, over time, can contribute to bunions, overlapping toes and weakened foot muscles.

No – and that's intentional. Arch support in conventional shoes does the work the foot's own muscles should be doing, which over time can lead to those muscles weakening. Barefoot shoes encourage the intrinsic foot muscles to develop and support the arch naturally. If your child has been advised by a healthcare professional to use orthotics or structured support, please consult them before switching to barefoot footwear.

For children, the transition is usually quick and natural – their feet are still developing and adapt easily. For adults who have worn conventional footwear for years, a gradual transition is recommended: start by wearing barefoot shoes for a few hours a day and slowly increase wear time over several weeks. Calf and foot stretches can help during this period. Children generally don't need a structured transition period.

Yes – many adults report significant benefits from switching to barefoot footwear, including improved posture, stronger foot and lower-leg muscles, and relief from common issues like heel pain and plantar fasciitis. We stock a wide range of adult barefoot shoes from brands including Vivobarefoot, Xero Shoes, Be Lenka, Groundies, Freet, Shapen and more.

Yes – most podiatrists and foot health experts agree that children's feet develop best in shoes that interfere as little as possible with natural movement. A child's foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints and over 100 muscles and tendons, and these are still forming well into the teenage years. Wide toe boxes allow toes to spread and grip properly; thin, flexible soles strengthen foot muscles; and zero drop supports natural posture. Research shows children who spend more time barefoot or in minimalist footwear tend to develop stronger arches and healthier foot structure.

Absolutely. Pre-walker shoes are ideal for babies who are not yet walking – they protect little feet without restricting movement. Once children start pulling to stand and taking their first steps, a flexible, wide-toed shoe that mimics bare feet is the best option. We stock pre-walkers and first shoes from brands like Bobux, Poco Nido and Tip Toey Joey specifically designed for this age.

Flat feet are completely normal in babies and toddlers – arches typically don't begin forming until around age 4-6. Allowing children to go barefoot or wear minimalist shoes during these years can actively encourage healthy arch development, as the foot muscles are being strengthened through natural movement. If flat feet persist beyond age 6, or your child experiences pain, we'd recommend consulting a podiatrist.

Yes – we have a dedicated range of barefoot school shoes that meet most school uniform policies. Brands like Vivobarefoot, Froddo, Be Lenka, Bobux, PaperKrane, PLAE and Camper all offer smart, school appropriate styles in barefoot-friendly designs. You can filter by brand, width and colour to find the perfect fit.

Barefoot shoes are generally wider than conventional footwear, which makes them a great option for wider feet. We stock shoes across 4 width fittings – Narrow, Medium, Wide and Extra Wide – so you can find the right fit. Use the width filter in our collections to narrow down your options, and check our guide to measuring width if you're unsure.

Place a piece of paper on a hard floor and have your child stand on it with their full weight on both feet. Trace around each foot, then measure from the heel to the tip of the longest toe. Always measure both feet - it's very common for one to be slightly larger - and use the larger measurement. Add around 0.8 - 1.0cm of growing room to get your target shoe length. We have our HLS Foot Measuring Device which can be purchased on our website. We also offer a free SizeWise tool where you can measure using your phone camera.  

We recommend allowing 0.8 - 1.0cm of growing room for a shoe or trainer, 0.5 - 0.8cm for a sandal and 1.0 - 1.5cm for a boot. For smaller feet, we recommend around 0.5 - 0.8cm. Too little room and the shoe will be quickly outgrown; too much and the foot slides inside the shoe, affecting stability. The fit should feel comfortable with room for the toes to spread - not tight, but not so lose the heel lifts when walking.

Children's feet grow fast – every 6-8 weeks in the first couple of years, slowing to every 3-4 months in older children. We recommend measuring every 6-8 weeks for children under 3, and every 2-3 months for children aged 3 and over. Always measure before buying new shoes rather than assuming the previous size still fits.

Yes. they can. Barefoot shoes are often sized to their internal length in millimetres or EU sizes, which can differ from standard UK sizes – and every brand sizes slightly differently. We strongly recommend measuring your feet and comparing against the brand specific size chart on each product page, rather than going by your usual size. Our full brand size charts are available on the website.

Yes. We filter our range by width fitting – Narrow, Medium, Wide and Extra-Wide – so you can find the right fit for your child's foot shape. Barefoot shoes are generally wider than conventional footwear in any case, making them a great choice for children whose feet don't fit well in standard shoes.

Orders placed before 12 noon are dispatched the same working day; orders placed after 12 noon are dispatched the next working day (Monday-Friday, excluding bank holidays). We use Royal Mail 1st class for most orders – 95% arrive the next working day. Larger orders are sent by DPD. We also offer tracked and express options at checkout.

Standard deliver is £3.99 for UK orders. Full delivery options and pricing are shown at checkout and on our Delivery Information Page.

Yes – we ship worldwide through our international delivery partner Global-e. Shipping costs and any import duties vary by destination and are calculated at checkout. Visit our International Shipping page for more details.

We accept all major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Payment is securely processed and we do not store card details.

Yes – in the UK, children's footwear is zero-rated for VAT, meaning no VAT is charged on qualifying children's shoes. This is automatically applied to qualifying items in your order. Adult footwear is subject to standard UK VAT at 20%.

We would ask that you check your online account to see when your order was dispatched and what postage method was used. We ask to allow up to 10 days for your order to arrive with you using standard delivery. If your item hasn't been received by this time, please check with your local Post Office or Sorting Office. If you are still unable to locate your parcel, please contact us and we will do our best to resolve this for you.

We offer a free returns service by Royal Mail or a DPD service for £3.99 for UK customers. We now also offer an exchange service, where you can exchange the same item for a different size. A processing fee of £3.99 is applied to all exchanges to cover the postage cost of the new item. We are now able to offer an incentivised store credit refund offer, whereby you can claim your refund as store credit with a 5% bonus top up. You have 28 days from the date of receipt to return items, provided they are unworn and in their original packaging. We're unable to accept returns on items that have been worn outside. Full details are on our Returns & Exchanges page.

Yes – returns processed through Royal Mail are free for all UK customers. Visit our returns portal, enter your order number, select the items to return and follow the instructions to generate a prepaid Royal Mail returns label.

Yes you can! We now offer a free returns AND exchange service. You can exchange the same item for a different size. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer exchanges for different items at the moment, but we are working on introducing this at a later date. Please note that a small fee of £3.99 is applied to all exchanges to cover the postage of the new item.

Once we receive your return and confirm the items are in their original condition, we'll process your refund within 7 days of the goods being received. Refunds can be returned to your original payment method or as store credit. Please see our Returns & Exchanges page for more information.

Please let us know as soon as possible if you think your product may be faulty. Please send an email to faults@happylittlesoles.co.uk and include: Your original order number (or the name and date of the order), a description of the fault and photographs showing the problem area including:
1. the insides of the shoes showing the label
2. the side profile of the shoes
3. the outer soles of the shoes
4. a close up of the fault.
Once we have received this information, we will contact the manufacturer to make them aware of the issue. If this is deemed a fault by the manufacturer, we will offer a resolution of a replacement or refund.

Please note: any manufacturing defect will be apparent on receipt or will develop within the first couple of months of wear. When shoes have been worn for a period of time, it is difficult to judge what is excessive wear and tear and what is a genuine issue. It is important to care for your shoes and to ensure they are used appropriately to maximise their lifetime.

We stock over 50 leading barefoot and natural footwear brands, including Vivobarefoot, Bobux, Froddo, Be Lenka, Xero Shoes, Merrell, PaperKrane, PLAE, Camper, Tikki, Bundgaard, Freet, Groundies, Old Soles, Pediped Flex and many more. Browse all our brands on our Shop by Brand page.

Yes! We have a loyalty scheme where you can earn points on every purchase, which can be redeemed against future orders. Sign up or check your points balance via the Loyalty Scheme in your account area.

Yes – we offer printed gift vouchers which are sent by post and e-gift vouchers in a range of values, which are delivered instantly by email. Perfect if you want to give someone the chance to choose their own shoes.

The best way to get in touch is via the contact form on our website. We aim to respond to enquiries within one working day. You can also find us on Instagram and Facebook – @happylittlesoles.