Our feet carry us throughout our lives. Many adults struggle with foot deformities and resulting posture problems or back problems, often caused by wearing the wrong shoes in early childhood. We want to do better for our own children! That's why only an ergonomic concept comes into question for our Affenzahn barefoot shoes. With our barefoot shoes, we want to lay the foundation for the healthy development of children's feet: the shoes offer enough space to grow in the toe area, the sole allows natural contact with the ground and offers maximum freedom of movement thanks to its extreme flexibility. To ensure that the shoes are also a lot of fun for the children, we also put a lot of grip into the best shape and cool extras such as a beastly good right-left distinction, easy-to-use closures and last but not least: a unique design.

Exploring the world barefoot is not only fun for children, but also the best thing for the development of their feet. Barefoot shoes are therefore ideal because they recreate this barefoot feeling. So-called minimal or barefoot shoes for children have a very thin sole and no arch ─ in other words, no difference in height between the heel and the ball of the foot. Barefoot shoes allow children to feel the ground particularly well, so they constantly receive new stimuli and their development is promoted. They are also very light and robust. Therefore, barefoot shoes are a good choice for all occasions ─ at the same time they promote the optimal development of the feet.

You can find more information about the barefoot shoe principle: [here]

Children’s feet grow quickly. For them to grow healthily, it is important that kids always wear the right shoe size. If the barefoot shoes are too small and constrict the toes, this can permanently lead to deformities or joint problems. This is because the bones in small children are still soft and adapt quickly.
The children’s shoes should not be too big either. In that case, the feet "swim" in the shoe and children often cramp their toes to get enough support.

To find the correct size for Affenzahn shoes, you should measure your child's foot in three steps. It is essential that your child wears the socks during the measurement that they will later wear in the shoes, so that the measurement is accurate.

1. Mark heels and toes
Stand your child on a sheet of paper with socks on and mark both heels vertically as well as the endpoints of the longest toe of both feet. If you are unsure how to do this, you will find illustrated instructions here.

2. Measure distances
Measure the two distances and note down the values in centimetres.

3. Get the size calculated
Enter the longer length into the input field on our Size Finder page. The matching size will be calculated for you here.

If you are unsure, templates for download are also available. You can download these on our Size Finder page. It is important that you always measure both feet, as they can be different sizes.

Every child's foot is individual and varies in length, width, and height of the instep. Basically, Affenahn shoes fit the natural shape of your child's feet. For children with very wide feet, you should try whether your child stands firmly on the sole or already on the edge of the sole, which could be perceived as uncomfortable.

The width of the barefoot shoes adapts to the natural shape of the feet by using flexible materials. In addition, the shoes can be individually adapted to the child's foot using Velcro fasteners, a quick lacing system or laces, which is why children with narrower feet can also wear Affenzahn shoes. It may be helpful to put an additional insole in the shoes.

In general, you can put insoles in our shoes as long as there is enough space and the child's foot is not constricted. Warm-lined models have a soft, thin insole that you can remove. In cold-lined shoes, the thin sole is firmly sewn so that no dirt collects underneath.
If your child needs orthopaedic insoles, it is best to discuss this with an orthopaedist. But don't worry: if there is enough space in the shoe, there is nothing to stop an insole from being used.

It makes sense to differentiate between size ranges: starting with sizes 16-25 for beginners, i.e. babies and toddlers, for whom our crawling shoes and prewalker shoes are designed. Special considerations apply here, as toddlers still move differently and are not yet as steady on their feet. Our prewalker shoes, for example, have a different sole, raised at the heel and also protective over the toes. This is different for younger children who can walk confidently: for younger children, we offer sizes 21-35. For slightly older children, we offer sizes 31-37 with child-friendly designs. This allows the individual models to be designed more specifically for their target group.

In order not to affect the longevity of the shoes, we recommend not to clean the shoes in the washing machine. Coarse dirt is best removed dry with a soft brush. If they are very dirty, you can clean them with a soft sponge and warm water. Then dry the shoes upside down (with the opening facing down) on a clothes horse. The Velcro fasteners or laces should be wide open and any insole must be removed. Please do not put the shoes on the heater because the glue can come off and leather shoes can harden as a result. For the finishing touches, you can occasionally use a cleaning agent. We recommend agents with natural ingredients.

Often it is enough to clean the shoes with a wet sponge and detergent. We advise against cleaning the shoes in the washing machine, as this can negatively affect the longevity of the shoes.

Affenzahn shoes are not impregnated beforehand. It is therefore helpful to impregnate the shoes with an impregnation spray adapted to the upper material before wearing them for the first time. It is best to follow the manufacturer's instructions.

The socks are best washed at 40 degrees. Further washing instructions can be found on the sock packaging.

The new laces will stretch about 1 cm after the first tying. This is normal and you may need to re-tie the shoes a second time with a double knot.

All our textile shoes are vegan. All shoes that are (partly) made of leather are not vegan, just like shoes that are made of recycled wool, such as the Wool Comfy. Our warm lining shoes, for example, are lined with a synthetic, recycled warm lining.

In order to pay attention to environmentally friendly production from the very beginning of our value creation, we are bluesign® system partners. Many of our fabric and material production sites, as well as their raw material suppliers, are also bluesign® system partners. Together we want to keep the impact of the production of our products on people and nature as low as possible.

Furthermore, we use PFC- and PFAS-free, water-repellent impregnation in the production of our children's shoes, for all materials used in the shoe. We only use these impregnating finishes for the winter collections so that the shoes can withstand wind and weather. In summer collections, we completely dispense with this type of finish in the interests of responsible handling of process chemicals. PFCs or PFASs are a group of industrial chemicals that includes many different substances. The disadvantage of these compounds is their stability and longevity. They are bioaccumulative, i.e. they accumulate in an organism and are also toxic in many cases. They are known as PFCs, i.e. perfluorinated and polyfluorinated hydrocarbons, or PFAS, i.e. perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds.

If the shoes are placed together with the heel, the animal flags on the back form a whole animal. If the shoes are not placed correctly, the puzzle pieces do not form a whole animal. Children learn which shoe should be placed on the right foot. On the Dreamer winter sneakers, you can distinguish right from left by putting together the words "We belong" & "Together".

The term prewalker shoes does not mean that children need shoes to learn to walk. In fact, it would be best to learn to walk barefoot. However, this is not always possible, which is why our prewalkers take into consideration the special needs of small feet. The super flexible sole is particularly flexible and soft. In addition, all of our prewalkers have a newly designed sole that goes over the toes at the front and is cut higher at the heel than our other shoes for older children. When learning to walk, children often crawl in between and to ensure protection for the toes, the sole is higher at the front. There is a little more support at the back, as the first steps can still be quite shaky. In addition to the new sole, all our prewalkers are of course developed according to our Affenzahn barefoot shoe concept and therefore offer enough space for growth.

The length of time children wear prewalkers varies depending on their development. Our range of baby walker sizes extends from 19 to 25, after which children are no longer crawling so often and no longer need the raised sole over their toes.

Have you already seen our new model comparison? Here you will find an overview that will help you to find out which shoe is best suited for which season: model comparison.

Our spring and summer shoes are not water-repellent. By re-waterproofing them yourself, the summer shoe can withstand some water, but will not be water-repellent. The summer shoes are also not waterproof, as the little feet would otherwise sweat with the membrane in summer.
For the transitional period, our leather Buddies are wonderfully suitable, as they can withstand the occasional puddle with the right care and impregnation. Leather is a naturally grown material and does not absorb liquid as quickly. Cotton, on the other hand, soaks up water more quickly.

Knit shoes are knitted shoes. The advantage of knitted shoes is that they are extremely light and flexible. This is because the knitted material fits the foot like a second skin and offers optimal wearing comfort.

The children's sandals by Affenzahn are super light and have a child-friendly design. The sole of the sandals is firmly stitched so that no sand or small stones can collect underneath. The mesh surfaces ensure optimal ventilation so that children's feet are guaranteed not to sweat even in summer.

Our Vegan Free sandals have both velcro and laces. The laces allow the sandals to be optimally adjusted to the child's foot so that they are neither too tight nor too wide on the instep. The velcro fastener at the heel helps to put the sandals on and take them off quickly so that they do not have to be re-laced.

Of course! The soles of Affenzahn winter shoes are as thin as possible, but as thick as necessary to protect the feet. In addition to the sole, we have given the shoes a tread so that children have good grip even in rain, snow, and ice. Our specially developed waterproof, breathable AffenTex membrane ensures that children's feet stay dry. And soft inner lining ensures that feet stay cos warm.

All our Affenzahn autumn and winter shoes that contain an AffenTex membrane are waterproof. These shoes are labelled with the AffenTex logo, so you can be sure that the shoe is waterproof. We use the same waterproof membrane in the mid-season shoes (cold lining) and winter shoes (warm lining).
The shoes are not impregnated when they reach you. It is therefore helpful to impregnate the shoes with an impregnation spray that is suitable for Tex membranes before wearing them for the first time. It is best to follow the manufacturer's instructions. Regular care and subsequent impregnation support the longevity of the materials so that they remain waterproof and dirt-repellent. As a rule of thumb, if water does not bead up on the outer material, the impregnation should be refreshed.

We use breathable lining and upper material. Our AffenTex membrane is also breathable, as long as a temperature gradient exists: If it is still (too) warm outside for the lined, waterproof shoes, children's feet will start to sweat. This is because the temperature difference between the inside of the shoe and the outside temperature is not strong enough. The membrane can only work properly when a temperature gradient is present, meaning it is colder outside than inside the shoe. Due to the way the membrane works, a moist climate can develop inside the shoe if the temperature gradient is not present and the water-repellent effect of the upper material is no longer intact. In this case, sweat particles cannot be transported to the outside, and the child's foot may feel damp. Consequently, the waterproof promise is also no longer guaranteed.

Waterproof, lined shoes are therefore only intended for colder temperatures and not for sunny weather and mild temperatures. For autumn, especially on dry days, the Leather Buddy, for example, without a membrane, is recommended. For cooler, wet days, we recommend the Knit Happy, the Vegan Explory, or the Leather Friendy. Warm-lined shoes are only intended for use when it gets genuinely colder outside.

Not all of our leather shoes are equipped with our AffenTex membrane, for example, the Leather Buddy is not. The Leather Friendy transitional shoe, on the other hand, is waterproof. In addition, leather is naturally water-repellent. Leather also has a temperature-regulating effect.

Have you already seen our new model comparison? Here you will find an overview that will help you to find out which shoe is best suited for which season: model comparison.

Before wearing for the first time:
It is best to waterproof shoes with a membrane using a waterproofing spray that is suitable for the upper material. The impregnation works best immediately after the shoe has been cleaned and dried. Re-impregnate regularly.

Cleaning:
First remove coarse dirt by tapping. Even wet shoes are best tapped first to remove loose drops of water. Then remove the coarse dirt with a soft brush when the shoe is dry. If the shoes are very dirty, you can clean them with a soft sponge and warm water. If present, remove the insole and clean it separately. It is then best to dry the shoes upside down (with the opening facing downwards) on a drying rack, if necessary near a heater. The Velcro fasteners or laces should be wide open and any insoles should be dried separately. Do not place the shoes directly on the heater, as this can loosen the glue and cause leather shoes to harden. Wet shoes can also be stuffed with crumpled newspaper for a few hours while drying to speed up the drying process. You can also occasionally use a cleaning agent for the finishing touches. We recommend using agents with natural ingredients, as otherwise the membrane may suffer. In order not to affect the longevity of the shoes, we do not recommend cleaning them in the washing machine.

The Little and Big Friends by Affenzahn differ in size, weight and subdivision.

The "Little Friends" series by Affenzahn is perfect for children between 1 and 3 years. With a capacity of about 4 litres, everything that is important for the start of kindergarten fits in: from the lunch box to the favourite cuddly toy!

For older and bigger children who also go on more frequent outings, we recommend the "Big Friends". They offer about twice as much space and additional pockets - the Big Friends are suitable for children from the age of 4.

You can read a detailed size comparison in our backpack comparison.

The materials we use for our Affenzahn children's backpacks are water and dirt repellent. We use a PFC-free impregnation on the surface and a PU coating on the back. If dirt does get stuck, the children's backpacks are easy to clean. Our backpacks can be gently cleaned with warm water at 30°C. Please only clean our backpacks by hand and with as little water as possible, e.g., over a washing-up bowl (or in the shower) with a sponge or soft cloth and a mild detergent, and only on the dirty areas. Please do not rub the dirty area, but only wipe or dab it gently. Then allow the backpack to dry thoroughly in a well-ventilated place, e.g., by hanging it upside down.

Our Affenzahn backpacks are water-repellent, which means that water rolls off the material. The material can withstand a light summer rain. In heavy rain, water can get through the seams, so you should protect your Small or Large Friend from heavy rain.

That can happen! Here you can find the name tag to print out and re-label yourself. download here