We have been using our premium Único barefoot shoe continuously for over 3.5 years, of course not just on you customers and the test runners, no, we have also worn the shoe extensively ourselves. Above all, months earlier than our first customers, which is why we have a period of two and a half years together. With this blog we would like to keep you up to date and summarize customer feedback, innovations and progress.
That was the year 2023...
We have continued to develop our Único significantly throughout 2023. Since spring 2023, the Único has been available in the particularly high-quality Black Forest leather in the extended leather colors black, orange and navy. Our Black Forest Único barefoot shoes are available in seven leather colors. The biggest addition, however, was the new and special Nopal cactus upper, which we introduced at Único in October. It is the world's first extremely sustainable and environmentally friendly vegan organic material, also called prickly pear, you can find out more about the special material here. The Único made of cactus is available in three great colors, olive, black and navy.
Now, after three and a half years, requests for new soles are becoming more and more common. This is usually due to the fact that many Único have worn out over time and urgently need new soles. Even the extremely stable compact soles, such as the ECO crepe or MEGAGRIP, can become worn out over time. One thing is clear: the MEGAGRIP soles are among the best soles ever. Many customer feedback confirms this. It shows its excellent properties especially on ice, snow and very slippery surfaces. We ourselves are always surprised at how clear the difference is and that's not a marketing slogan ;-). Due to the increased demand for new soles, we reacted in December 2023 and created a detailed sole purchase article in our shop. Every Único barefoot shoe can be resoled, even after years of heavy use; you can choose the sole yourself and change it. For example, if you initially had a standard Newflex sole, you can switch to a MEGAGRIP sole after years. ;-). Brand new since December, you can now configure the Único with the Vibram® Artic Grip sole. This type of sole has extra ice anti-slip pads built into the sole, which help you achieve even better grip, especially on ice and snow. Only those who have tried Artic Grip themselves know about the special properties of this sole.
We have also expanded our important accessories for the Único, not only with the new soling item, but we have also developed a fine, specially collected and vegetable-tanned deerskin wool insole in the beautiful colors of fir green and black, for particularly high wearing comfort in the barefoot shoe. Our leather care has also been expanded to include leather grease for heavily used leather.
One thing is clear: our individual Único barefoot shoe concept is fully developed after three and a half years and is available in the highest quality. The longevity and associated sustainability of the entire resoling package speaks volumes and is unique on the market. Nevertheless, our Único concept will not stand still, it will continue to develop and we will certainly open up exciting areas in which the handmade, manufactured barefoot shoe can be expanded...
That was the year 2022...
We have significantly expanded and consistently expanded our popular Único throughout 2022. The limited Único Black Forest made from the special, regional farm leather is now available in four beautiful colors. The high-quality Único made of 100% organic cotton, water-repellent, has also been available from us since this autumn. You can also choose from five different types of soles. This has also been added in the last few months, of course the Megagrip zigzag sole, which has already been requested many times, is also on board;-). I think this year we will create the extraordinary leather alternative, made from the vegetable cactus leather from Nopal Katktus.
We have also extended the important accessories accordingly. The high-quality overshoe, the OverShoe Pro variant, has been available since October with two different types of soles, which offer full protection against moisture and snow. But the important concept of changing the insoles has also become popular. In the meantime, we have made it standard to only fix our associated Onsteam Poron insole selectively, so that it can be changed at any time. The interchangeable sole concept is definitely elementary to be able to wear the Único all year round with the Thermo-Poron insoles.
Of course, the big company move last year also played a major role. A whole 4 weeks of intensive clearing in December 2022 has come to an end. We spent the first week of January 2023 restoring the important production structure so that we can produce properly. We did that too! In the next few weeks we will be able to produce fine products for you again in full;-). However, we will always add times on a daily basis in which we supplement, fine-tune and improve our new production structure so that we are really ready to go in the upcoming spring and summer season '23.
That was the year 2021...
Because the summer season wasn't particularly warm, we all rarely wore sandals, instead often wearing our Único. Our standard model was tested frequently, in many colors: OnDura® > Newflex Sport & Everyday 5.0mm > with but also without thermal insole. My own experiences are very good. With an even running style, the sole will definitely last 1.5 years, and that with almost daily use of 6-8 hours of wear. When it rains, the shoe does not immediately get wet, which is mainly due to the fact that the upper OnDura® and the hydro calf suede are pre-treated to be water-repellent. Wetness protection can be further enhanced with our newest product, the OverShoe Light.
The feedback from the test runners is consistently encouraging. Over the course of the year, we were able to incorporate some important requests and suggestions that made sense to us into the production process of our Único, such as the time-consuming pressing of the last layer of the sole that can be resoled (Vibram Megagrip or Vibram ECO) with a hot iron. The pull-on loop has also been enlarged or lengthened so that the shoes can be pulled more easily over the heel, even with less flexible fingers. The laces have been redesigned: thinner, with a higher percentage of stretch, changed to a special coarse weave. As a result, they do not open up during intensive runs and can maintain the tension even under heavy loads. Changing the insoles has also been optimized. Initially, our standard Onsteam - Poron - insole was glued in. Now it is only minimally fixed at certain points; This means that a different or warmer insole can be inserted at any time, which is particularly advantageous in winter. With the Thermo-Poron insole, you have pleasantly warm feet even in sub-zero temperatures, but you don't lose the barefoot feeling and important toe room. The interchangeable sole concept, which we owe to helpful feedback, is definitely essential for being able to wear the Único all year round.
We have changed many things individually for our customers at their request: doing without the brand label, special color requests for the lacing, small fit, fitting adjustments, special sole requests and, and, and... Customers reported enthusiastically: "I've never had one like that excellent quality seen on a shoe". "It just stands out from all other shoe manufacturers when you get this top quality in all its high-quality outer packaging and can unpack it ;-)." Many are positively surprised by the high quality and the form in which the Único arrives at them. Even if it didn't fit, people often urgently asked for an exchange or ordered two more because the shoes were so beautiful...
In short: it is a shoe for everything and everyone and every occasion all year round in absolute top quality, manufactured in our on-demand production in Freiburg!
Start the new year 2023 on the right path, with the best shoes
Our shoes are something very special. There is nothing comparable in quality, so honest, sustainable, loving and durable in fine manufactory work. Start the new year with the right decision for your feet. Rather rely on comfortable, wider cuts, great natural contact with the ground, durability and resoling, or on a good repair after years. So you have something of your shoes much longer.
Ideally suited for your leisurely urban city walk
Our idea has always been to make a shoe that is suitable for every use. The result was Único - a shoe for everything. You can put this shoe together individually, the soles, the colors and, very importantly, the uppers. We currently offer three high-quality outer fabrics. OnDura® is a highly technical fabric with high-strength fibers that offer the highest abrasion resistance and maximum breathability. The second outer fabric consists of fine hydro calfskin suede, manufactured by a small tannery in Germany, which reliably lets water roll off. The third outer fabric is made from naturally vegan Piñatex, which is obtained from the leaves of the pineapple harvest, which are normally regarded as leftover and waste products. We offer all special outer fabrics in different colors and, above all, different sole variants. You can find out a lot more here...
Ideal for your demanding run, no matter what the terrain
The Único was tested very intensively over longer distances (over 68 km). We have a small group of intensive test runners, including Florian Felch from Allgäu. He successfully runs very demanding marathons, sometimes in the ultra-distance area... Over the past few months, we have closely matched our sporty Único running shoe (with Megagripp sole and OnDura® upper material) with our test runners. After almost a year and a half of experience and many improvements, our Único is now one of the most sophisticated and robust running shoes in the premium running segment, which you can put together according to your individual needs. We didn't skimp on anything. The double Poron® in the bulge and as a minimal insole is the highlight under heavy loads without losing the important barefoot feeling. It absorbs the strong shocks when running and absorbs the forces like no other material. Best of all, you can't get any blunt injuries. The combination of the indestructible OnDura® upper with the double Poron® and the resoleable Vibram® Megagrip sole makes the Único a durable shoe that you can enjoy every day ;-). Once you've run in the Único, you won't want any other shoe...
Totally comfortable and particularly light, the Único Casual models
Made from natural Piñatex, they are particularly suitable for the day in the office, at work or in everyday life. The soft organic cotton lining is incredibly comfortable and yet keeps you warm and cozy. Yes, you can even slip into the soft, lightweight shoes barefoot, which is not possible with most shoes without a lining or with a synthetic inner lining. The fine Hydrovelour or the airy OnDura in combination with our ECO - or Berlin Edition - soles can also be worn excellently in everyday life. A quick cleaning with a brush every now and then and occasional care will keep your shoes beautiful and functional for many years.
Ideal for your hike
With Único you always have the best grip on any terrain. The shoe gives you enough flexibility so that you cannot twist your ankle, and the sole reliably protects your foot from sharp stones and blunt injuries, especially thanks to the high-quality double Poron XRD, which we use in our shoe. Anyway, this is unique...
We look forward to another very exciting Único year together with all of you!
