FAQS

What are Shandals® all about?!

Shandals® are a special design of shoe - they are open at the front and closed in at the back. Made to gently realign your big toe and strengthen your other toes and your overall posture too! They were originally designed by Alan James Raddon for a client with bunions but they are worn by people all over the world because also they look and feel great too! Read more here.

What if I don’t like the feel of anything between my toes?

This is something we get asked a lot! People often confuse Shandals® with a ‘flip flop’ where you have a toe thong between your toes - the difference with Shandals® is that there is a back to them and they are held on with laces or a buckle so there is no movement or rubbing (like a flip flop where you have got to clench to keep them on). We see hundreds of people in our shop and the main feedback we get is “WOW it doesn’t feel like I have anything on my feet, yet I feel supported”. It’s hard to illustrate without trying them on - the best way to describe Shandals® is that give your foot a hug! And they are even more comfortable than barefoot shoes.

How long does it take for my Shandals® to be made?

We make all our Shandals® by hand, we always try and keep most sizes in stock in each colour but if we don’t have your size, it takes us 3 weeks to make you a pair.

Do you have a shop? Can I visit you?

We welcome visits to our workshop on in Machynlleth, Mid-Wales.

To view a selection of Shandals® made by The Original Shandals® Co. you can visit our shop just off the High Street in Machynlleth, open five days a week –
from 10:00am - 4pm. If you want to be fitted by us in person please make an appointment first.
Please call 01654 702 526 or email info@shandals.co.uk to book an appointment.

How do I know what measurements you need?

We always recommend measuring your feet using our instructions here. It’s important to know that with Shandals® its good to order as close as possible to the length of your feet in mm on our chart where as with our Shoes/boots you need to add about 8/10mm on to your length to make sure you have enough space in front of your toes and the end of the shoe. With Shandals® its different as your toes are out so you don’t need as much space in front of your toes.

How should Shandals® look on my feet?

We like our Shandals® to fit just right. Your toes should just reach the stitching and the back of your foot should be held in and supported into the back of the shoe. Sometimes there is some initial feelings of discomfort when you first start wearing your Shandals® - we recommend wearing them in for short time a day to allow your feet to get used to them first, particularly if you have extreme bunions.

How do I know if Shandals® will work for me?

Shandals® are like a gentle therapy. They bring you into alignment which can feel strange at first but we have many years experience and glowing reviews from all over the world. Lots of customers have found their stance and general posture improves.

Are your Shandals® like barefoot shoes?

All our shoes are foot shaped - broad at the toe box and narrow at the heel to support your foot naturally.

What about arch supports?

We don’t have any arch supports in our shoes - instead they are shaped under your arch to fit closely to your foot - this supports the arch naturally as we believe arch supports can make your arch muscles inactive over time and you can become reliant on your arches being held up - the muscles in your arch need exercising - we recommend doing arch exercises and keeping the strength in your muscles up rather than an arch support.

What are your Shandals® made from?

We only use the best quality leathers we can find - leathers that are as traceable as possible. We use a supplier in Northampton for all our Italian leather uppers. We also use one of the only tanneries left in the UK for all our unique leather soles. All our rubber tyre tread comes from Spain.

Do I need bespoke made Shandals®?

If you have two different sized feet or complications due to severe bunions it is normally the case you need your Shandals® made bespoke. We offer a bespoke service over at our sister company RED Shoes. Lots of people fit straight into a pair off the shelf but it is worth measuring your feet to check our sizing first. See how to measure your feet here. You will also find our sizing chart which will give you a guide as to which size and width to order.

Can you resole your footwear?

Yes. All our footwear is designed to last from the highest quality leather, made to be repairable when the sole wears down. We strongly advise you look after the leather uppers with great care - leather is alive - it needs nourishment for it to last for decades of wear. Please see our aftercare for advice on looking after you Shandals®.

Do you ship internationally?

Yes - we send our Shandals® to customers all over the world.

What happens if I want them in a different colour?

If you don’t see a colour you like on our site please get in touch with us to check - we will then advise if you need to order bespoke or not. We are adding new ranges all the time and it’s worth keeping a look on our site for any new ranges we have!

We offer our three Shandals® designs in our standard width in stock sizes 2-12 including half sizes. Childrens sizes start from a size 5.