Spotlight on Ahinsa Shoes
Hey movement lovers, we wanted to put the spotlight on one of our lesser-known brands today because they are underappreciated, absolute stars.
Ahinsa is a barefoot shoe brand from the Czech Republic, with production in Croatia by a family-based team of master shoe-makers. Their main focus is on creating super barefoot feeling vegan shoes with some of the best materials and construction in the industry.
We started carrying Ahinsa in 2022, and a few of our staff have bought their own Ahinsas including mary-jane flats, chelsea boots, and hiking boots. So we’ve had time to live in these shoes, as well as taking in customer feedback.
Why We Love Our Ahinsa Barefoot Shoes!
Photo from Ahinsa features their new Street Hemp Ankle Sneaker. The twill weave of the hemp fabric is soft to the touch yet durable, like a perfectly worn in pair of jeans.
Materials like CF+ and hemp:
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Ahinsa sources a material that we love called CF+. It’s a top-notch leather-imitation, and unlike regular pleather it is nearly indestructible. You can scratch it with a fork and it will not be damaged!
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Ahinsa also uses hemp sourced and processed in the EU. Hemp takes less water to grow and process than cotton, has anti-microbial properties, and is breathable and durable. Perfect for barefoot shoes
Wears like leather with stretch and patina:
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Customers often mistake CF+ (which stands for cruelty-free) for leather in-store, because they truly nailed the look and feel of leather. The comparison goes deeper though; CF+ wears over time to mold to your feet with a custom fit, and gains a soft patina like leather, too.
- If you're familiar with Japanese aesthetic principles like wabi-sabi, you may also appreciate the way each Ahinsa shoe will become unique as it develops a wear pattern based on the wearer and their patterns of activity. The way they wear in tells a story about you.
Comparison of a brand new Ahinsa Chelsea boot with Dobrana's that she has worn for about 6 months.
Extra wide options:
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For the owner of Cool East Market, Ivan, the Shuma xWide model was a perfect winter boot! Ivan has a hard time finding shoes that fit well as he has extra wide feet. The wide version of the Shuma was a great fit for him, and he wore them all winter long.
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Their rounded toebox with a sculpted midfoot and heel is well suited to wider feet even in their regular width. Haz, for example, finds the Chitra trail runner has their favourite fit and feel of all of our trail models, with a highly flexible sole and lots of room for splay in the front and a secure fit in the back.
Ivan wears the Ahinsa Shuma Nature xWide. At 11.5cm wide in size 44, they have been comfy for his wide forefoot. Ivan's boots shown after about six months of wear through outdoor winter wear.
Water protection:
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Plus, CF+ is waterproof! Despite the breathability, humidity will only go out, not in. This makes the shoes incorporating the material highly water-resistant: without a waterproof lining and gussets we don’t consider them fully waterproof, but they are the next best thing.
The Vida Sneaker, made from CF+ material, photo from Ahinsa. It's easy to keep white CF+ models clean- just wipe off dirt! The white stays white. Works for the Street Hemp Ankle's toecap, too.
Easy to clean:
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When it comes to maintenance, CF+ material is even easier to care for than leather. Spill your coffee on them? Wipe it off. Walk through mud? Wipe it off. No need for leather conditioner, cleaning and polishing routines, just wipe! They’re so convenient.
Photo of the thin and flexible Vibram soles on the Ahinsa Chitra Trek and Trail from Ahinsa. Take note of the way the sole can twist and bend in multiple directions, easily following the articulations of your foot for nimble mobility.
Super barefoot groundfeel with Lifo+ and Vibram outsoles:
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If you’re looking for a next to nothing feel, the Lifo+ outsoles are for you. These outsoles rival Vivobarefoot for the thinnest out there, at only 3mm thick.
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If you’re out on a trail and looking for a lugged grip, then the models featuring the Vibram outsole are your best bet. On the Chitra for example, the Vibram outsole has lugs and grooves on a base of 3mm outsole that easily bends in all directions around the lugs.
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The longevity of these materials is amazing, for 3mm thick even the Lifo+ soles last years.
Sole comparison: brand new and after 6 months' wear.
Sole wear on Iben's Ahinsa Ananda mary-jane after 2 years.
Looks better on your foot than on the shelf, and looks better after a year than day 1:
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Unlike most leather-look fabrics, CF+ doesn’t flake over time. It actually looks better the more you wear it! We’ve noticed that Ahinsa shoes look better worn than on the shelf, and they look better after a month or year of wear than when they’re brand new. You can wear Ahinsas for years and they age like fine wine.
Dobrana's Ahinsa Chelseas are a perfect slip-on for busy moms and dads who still want to dress stylishly.
Iben demonstrates the flexibility of her 3mm Ahinsa Ananda soles by twisting one of her shoes into a roll.
Curious to Try Them?
While Ahinsa shoes rank among the higher price point options, we believe the value is well worth the investment. They pair innovative materials with traditional craftsmanship, and are guided by their values of sustainability and compassion.
We’re proud to offer Ahinsa shoes, and we hope you’ll give them a try next time you drop by Cool East Market!