What started as a pipedream by two regular guys in Fargo, ND to make specialized socks that could be a minimalist alternative to normal gym shoes quickly evolved into a thriving shoe company paving its own path through the footwear industry. It began with a DM that Co-Founder Chris Duffin received in his inbox pitching an idea for a minimalist footwear company. Reluctantly, Chris declined this offer as it seemed to be just another attempt to capitalize on his growing influence online. After having his inbox flooded with requests asking to collaborate, Chris decided to invite these two over-ambitious gentlemen to his home in Portland, Oregon to pitch the idea to him in person. Only a couple days later they had arrived to meet face-to-face, and a few hours later a partnership and brand-new company was formed. 

Chris quickly expanded the vision of the company to focus on minimalist shoes instead of socks, and just a year later Bearfoot Shoes had already made an impact on the barefoot community with only one shoe offered in one color. Offering a simplistic, minimalist solution to over-designed footwear, they had a product that helped solve the multiple health problems that modern footwear causes to millions of people worldwide. With the company’s rapid growth, they needed to upgrade their development and manufacturing, fast. The Bearfoot Team then gained a new member who had worked in the shoe industry for decades, who then used his connections to introduce Bearfoot Shoes to Esquivel Shoes.

George Esquivel is a world-renowned shoe designer who creates unique footwear for celebrities all over the world. With these new relationships established, Bearfoot was able to bring its manufacturing and development to North America. This brought huge improvements in quality and opened doors for new product options. “Optimizing the Human to Ground Interface” was and is Bearfoot’s mission from now and into the future, and we will continue to take the path less traveled as we pursue that mission.