The best shoe mimics bare feet, by supporting — not constricting tiny growing feet. From kicking to crawling and from cruising to walking, give your little one the very best start.

When you’re choosing shoes for their developing feet:

1. Make it soft. A softer sole that cushions, allows toes a better grip, helping balance and muscle growth.

2. Get fit. A shoe with elastic hugs the ankle with every step, staying snug and secure for a great fit.

3. Measure up. Little feet grow quickly, so measure regularly.

4. Be flexible. Shoes should not restrict proper bending of the joints. A soft flexible soled shoe allows the foot to flex with ease.

5. Go light. Help the new walker go light and stay upright by choosing a lightweight shoe without bulky padding and heavy soles.

6. Get wiggling. Promote movement and flexing of their growing feet with games like “This Little Piggy”.

Barefoot is best, choose Robeez next

Q.    Please describe what is going on in a toddler’s foot when she learns to walk. How do the toes grip the ground and how does the foot become strong?

When a child initiates ambulation, the muscles, bones, and joints are developing in such a fashion as to improve the foundation of the child’s body. When the child first initiates ambulation, their foot is fat, flat, and floppy, with no arch and a significant fat pad in the area of the arch. The child’s foot generally appears quite flattened; this is generally a fairly stable base of support. As a child begins to become more efficient with their walking activities, the foot becomes stronger, the ranges of motion become less, and the foot slowly develops an arch. As this occurs, there is a gripping motion of the toes that occurs for stability. This is generally influenced by what are called the intrinsic muscles of the foot. These are the short muscles in the foot that help to develop the arch.

Q.     When do you recommend infants start wearing shoes?
It is appropriate for a non-walking child to wear shoes for the sake of protection. A soft flexible covering of a natural material such as leather is certainly appropriate for a child’s foot. As the child initiates ambulation, I feel that utilizing some type of a protective cover is also appropriate whether indoors or outdoors. The shoe should be made of natural materials such as leather and should not restrict the developing child’s foot movement or motion. A shoes that contours well with the foot and the area of the heel and the arch and the ball of the foot, works best for a child. Being able to slip the shoe on and off the child’s foot is beneficial as well.

Q.     What is it about Robeez Soft Soles that allow the toddler to walk as if barefoot? Is this the optimum way to learn to walk?
The effectiveness of Robeez soft-soled leather shoes is that it does provide protection for the child’s foot when walking, and it does allow the normal amount of foot movement and motion to occur. There is no restriction of the normal contraction of the muscles, and the muscles are allowed to work and develop step after step, allowing the child’s foot to become stronger and more efficient. Is this the optimum way to learn to walk? If the child’s foot is a normal foot, then clearly this is the optimum way to learn to walk. This will allow all the muscles to develop in a normal fashion and it will allow the muscles of the leg to also develop normally. However, in cases where there is an element of excessive flattening of the foot, a flexible show may actually allow greater foot flattening to occur, which would not enhance improvement of foot development.

Q.     How does the structure of Tredz affect a child’s foot development?
The overall features of the Tredz do allow the child’s foot to develop in a normal fashion. The shoe is flexible enough that it does not inhibit the ability of the child’s foot muscles to function properly and to develop properly. The materials allow the child’s skin to breathe and do not restrict the normal perspiration which occurs. The materials will be instrumental in protecting the child’s foot from any stray foreign objects, which might otherwise injure the child’s foot.

Q.    Do toddlers need hard leather shoes or can their foot muscles support them just fine?

Robeez footwear stands up to experts
Medical experts worldwide agree that barefoot is best, and soft, flexible-soled shoes are the next best choice, for both infants and children.

In fact, all Robeez Footwear carry the prestigious Seal of Acceptance from the American Podiatric Medical Association. The seal is awarded to products that promote natural foot function.
Protection without restriction

From those precious early crawling days through to walking and running, the softer and more flexible their shoes, the better. Yes, barefoot is best, but sometimes it’s not practical.

For protection against cold, damp or dangerous surfaces, Robeez footwear is the next best choice. There’s Soft Soles – an ideal shoe for everyday indoor and light outdoor wear. And Mini Shoez – for a more stylish “real-shoe” look with a water-repellent sole for light outdoor use. And of course Tredz – with a flexible water-resistant sole perfect for toddler’s outdoor explorations. All Robeez shoes offer superior protection without restricting their growing feet.

But hey, we’ve always known that. Now, the entire medical community – and you – know too.

The First Step

It was 1994. Sandra Wilson, a young wife and mother, was downsized out of her airline job. Wishing to spend more time with her 18-month old son Robert, Sandra saw this as an opportunity to start her own home-based business. For inspiration, she looked to her son’s tiny feet.

Sandra set out to handcraft a pair of brightly colored, soft-soled leather shoes for young Robert. She was pleased to discover that the shoes seemed to improve his balance, because the soft soles allowed him to “feel” the floor while he toddled about. Sandra decided to name the shoes after her son. “Robeez” shoes were born.

Going to Market

Sandra began to wonder: if these high quality soft-soled shoes worked so well for Robert, perhaps other mothers around North America would find them a good product for their children’s developing feet. So Sandra decided to hand-stitch 20 pairs of her footwear and attend the 1994 Vancouver Gift Show trade exhibition. The response? Overwhelming. The orders flooded in and she signed up 15 retailers ready to sell her product. Sandra threw herself into production. Her home’s basement became Robeez Footwear’s early headquarters and she quickly immersed herself into learning all there was to know about leather, cutting, sewing, design, sales and distribution. It was the beginning of an incredible growth story.

Growing Strong

To keep up with the booming sales, Sandra hired her first sales representative in March 1995 and by May 1997, Robeez was online. The company moved out of Sandra’s basement in May 1999 and into their first commercial space. Since then, the company has relocated and expanded into larger premises to accommodate the rapidly expanding operations.

In August 2001, sales topped $1.2 million Canadian and doubled by the following year. Today, sales surpass the $15 million mark and continue to grow at an outstanding pace.

In 2003, Sandra established the Robeez Heart & Sole program, which donates much-needed children’s footwear to non-profit societies and charities throughout the world.

Robeez Footwear Today

Sandra could not have predicted the phenomenal success the company has enjoyed. Today, Robeez is recognized as the world’s leading manufacturer of soft-soled leather footwear for newborns to four-year-olds. Robeez Footwear now has close to 400 employees and sells shoes in over 4,500 stores in countries throughout North America, Europe, Australia and parts of Asia.

The company carries over 70 designs of shoes and, in 2004, introduced their newest line of footwear for all-season warmth – fleece-lined Booties.

From the very first pair of shoes Sandra lovingly crafted, she did so with a caring ethic, developing a quality product that put her child first. Today, that same ethic is upheld in every pair of Robeez footwear and in all aspects of the company.

As for Robert… the now-thirteen-year old is extremely proud of his mom. In September 2006, Robeez was acquired by Stride Rite Corporation, which is home to a portfolio of great footwear brands.  More information on the publicly held Stride Rite Corporation (NYSE: SRR) can be found at www.strideritecorp.com© 2008 Stride Rite Canada Ltd.

A decade of quality craftsmanship

Robeez Footwear has been crafting exceptional quality children’s footwear for over ten years. It’s that commitment to quality and level of caring that has led to Robeez Footwear becoming a brand that moms trust and love.

The Robeez Guarantee

The Robeez brand is your assurance of quality craftsmanship. It represents our total commitment to ensuring your complete satisfaction with every pair you buy.

With Robeez Footwear, you can always expect:

* Quality
At Robeez, quality extends to our dedication in customer service, as well as our continual pursuit of making improvements and refinements to our footwear and processes.

* Strength
The strength and durability of our footwear is echoed in everything we do… in our resources, our people and our expertise. That’s why we’re the world’s leading manufacturer of soft-soled shoes.

* Accessibility
Robeez are sold internationally through fine boutiques and major specialty retailers. And we’re easy to reach – contact us by phone, fax, mail or email.