December 2023
Bär promotes education and community spirit in India before Christmas
Shortly before Christmas, BÄR Shoes launched a significant social initiative in India with great enthusiasm. In cooperation with Baer Shoes India Pvt. Ltd., a government school near the BÄR production facility was supported to improve educational opportunities and enhance the students’ quality of life.
The school faced challenges such as a lack of teaching materials and a suitable learning environment. As a committed step, BÄR introduced screens for “Remote Learning” in three of the five classrooms, giving students access to a wider range of educational content through videos. This initiative aims to enrich the children’s educational experience and expand their learning opportunities.
In addition to the screens, school uniforms were provided for the students. They not only promote uniformity but also create a sense of belonging. Teachers were equipped with simple desks to make lesson preparation easier. In this rural region, where a high illiteracy rate of 20% has been recorded, BÄR is committed to giving children the opportunity to actively use their skills, talents, and enthusiasm through education to build a better future. The school, staffed by five dedicated teachers, teaches 50 girls and 30 boys through fifth grade.
BÄR India regularly supports needs-based projects through the “BÄR Seed” program, where a personal connection can be established. During the visit, it was possible not only to see the organizational side of the support, but also to experience the children’s pure joy, curiosity, and laughter, which deeply moved everyone.
As the highlight of our commitment, BÄR organized a sports festival for the students, focusing on community connection and team spirit. The joy at the medal ceremony and the beaming faces of the winners reflected the success of this shared effort.
BÄR Shoes remains committed to social projects and continues to work toward creating positive change in communities.
November 2023
Bär Shoes Spring/Summer 2024
This season, colorful accents take center stage and draw attention. The color palette of the upper leathers ranges from denim blue and deep navy to refreshing sky blue and delicate mint green. Mineral hues expand the spectrum, ranging from taupe and sand to a soft almond shade.
The skillful coordination of the upper material and sole color, emphasizing the tone-on-tone flow, makes a sophisticated statement of stylish versatility. This design approach runs consistently throughout the collection and is reflected in high-quality details such as the supple calfskin lining. The styles harmoniously combine fashionable sophistication with natural inspiration.
Sustainable natural crepe soles
At BÄR, sustainability is not a trend; it has been part of our philosophy from the very beginning and takes many forms. One of our key sustainability topics is our natural crepe soles. They have already been extremely popular with women and men over the past two seasons. Our natural crepe soles are made entirely from natural rubber without any additional additives, and they are also carefully crafted by hand in our manufactory. The soft, highly cushioning natural crepe soles—for example, CLINT, TIMOTHY CAREY, and DENISE—offer an exceptional walking experience. They are definitely worth trying.
PITO – The knitted sneaker made from SEAQUAL® YARN
However, our commitment to sustainability goes beyond the soles. A prime example is our PITO shoe. The super-light knitted PITO sneakers are vegan and sustainable. The knitted fabric is made entirely from recycled polyester, SEAQUAL® YARN. Ninety percent of it comes from post-consumer PET bottles collected on land, while the remaining 10 percent is SEAQUAL® MARINE PLASTIC, which recycles plastic waste from the ocean. The SEAQUAL INITIATIVE aims to rid the oceans of plastic and transform the collected material into environmentally friendly polyester fibers. With PITO, BÄR is making not only a fashionable statement but also a statement in favor of environmental protection.
The must-have for hiking
BERGKOMFORT 2.0, the favorite among customers in the hiking collection, remains a highlight and must not be missing next spring/summer either. Winner of the ISPO AWARD, it is an absolute must-have for all nature lovers and hiking enthusiasts. It not only promises a new hiking experience thanks to its perfect fit and innovative, patent-pending FIRMOFLEX® sole technology—a combination of lateral stability and longitudinal flexibility—but also relies on sustainable materials such as terracare® leather and chrome-free-tanned calfskin lining.
The new Archraiser sole
Our ARCHRAISER® SOLE from the MOUNTAIN BAREFOOT also promises an exceptional walking experience. This model takes barefoot walking to a new level. The extremely thin sole provides a walking experience as close to barefoot walking as possible, while allowing you to move in perfect harmony with nature. In addition, the ARCHRAISER® sole is characterized by lateral support that wraps around the midfoot like a protective cuff, gently enclosing all the ligaments, muscles, and bones. This gives the arches of the feet stability and provides natural support and stability with every step. There has never been this much hiking shoe in a barefoot shoe.
More information about BÄR: www.baer-schuhe.de Instagram: @baer_schuhe
October 2023
Bär successfully expands onto online marketplaces
BÄR, the pioneer in shoes with 100% toe freedom, is advancing its marketplace expansion and has been available online at Decathlon and Otto since August 2023. With these steps, the family-owned company is consistently implementing its multichannel strategy. In addition to its retail stores, its own online shop, and traditional mail-order business, BÄR is steadily expanding its fourth pillar.
Decathlon offers BÄR’s sports range, including running and hiking shoes such as the BERGKOMFORT hiking boot 2.0, which received this year’s ISPO Award. On Otto.de, customers can find the entire collection of shoes featuring 100% toe freedom, zero heel drop, and flexibility in the highest quality of craftsmanship.
In 2022, the medium-sized company created the technical infrastructure for marketplace integration. The shoe brand began its online expansion with Mirapodo last year, and Amazon was added in spring 2023. The new sales channels offer existing customers a variety of shopping options and are intended to boost business with new customers. “We are striving to further expand our market presence and make our shoes accessible to a broader audience,” says managing director Christof Bär enthusiastically. In line with this, the shoe manufacturer expanded its own distribution network when it became a brand partner of ANWR, the strongest cooperative group in the specialist footwear trade, in September 2022.
About BÄR: “It is a personal concern of mine that BÄR GmbH commits to the future of coming generations and assumes responsibility,” says Christof Bär, Managing Director of the BÄR brand. With this in mind, the family-owned company has supported the BioDesign Foundation’s project from the very beginning and has been an official cooperation partner of VOX MARIS, a project in the Mediterranean region, since 2021. Most of the plastic waste in our oceans comes from land and breaks down in the water into harmful microplastics. Fishing is partly responsible for the problem. Fishing nets and other equipment often end up in the sea. In southern countries, nets are sometimes illegally disposed of in the sea—dolphins and other marine species die agonizing deaths in these ghost nets. VOX MARIS addresses both causes and turns fishermen into allies. In cooperation with the consortium of shipowners from Chioggia, a port city on the Adriatic in Italy’s Veneto region, the BioDesign Foundation has found an effective solution. The foundation buys discarded fishing nets from fishermen, as well as the plastic bycatch “caught” in their nets. In this way, VOX MARIS prevents the nets from being disposed of at sea to avoid hazardous-waste disposal fees. At the same time, fishermen are compensated for the additional effort involved in bringing the plastic waste ashore. Containers have been placed near ports and fish markets for this purpose. Fishermen deliver the marine waste there, where it is weighed and then processed by the foundation’s employees. 100,000 kilograms were collected in Chioggia in one year. An estimated 100,000 tonnes end up in the Mediterranean every year. The foundation’s goal is to expand the project to all ports in Italy and throughout the Mediterranean. Not a single fishing net should end up in the sea.
For more than 40 years, the family-owned company has been making shoes with ample toe room, zero heel drop, and flexibility in the highest quality of craftsmanship. What began in 1982 with a revolutionary idea from Christian Bär has been continued since 2013 by his sons Christof and Sebastian Bär with innovative ideas and passion. BÄR Shoes are available at 22 BÄR stores, in the online shop, through traditional mail order, and via Amazon, Decathlon, Mirapodo, and Otto. 130 employees work at the company headquarters in Bietigheim-Bissingen, while another 400 permanent employees manufacture the shoes at the company’s own factory in India.
September 2023
Bär Shoes presents innovative “scan2fit” project
Experience comfort in a new way: BÄR Manufaktur presents “scan2fit,” an innovative project for precise foot analysis using 3D scanning technology. The subsequent shoe recommendation is generated automatically by comparing the feet with the shoe lasts.
BÄR shoes stand for 100% toe freedom and offer maximum comfort. From early September to mid-October 2023, interested customers had the unique opportunity to receive a professional foot measurement at three selected BÄR stores—completely free of charge. In Düsseldorf (September 5–16, 2023), Stuttgart (September 19–30, 2023), and Hamburg (October 4–14, 2023), a state-of-the-art 3D scanner was available that not only precisely captured the contours of the feet but also detected any misalignments. These can often be the cause of problems such as back pain.
In the footwear trade, BÄR’s “scan2fit” method is a sensational innovation and advancement in foot analysis. The complex software solution has so far been absolutely unique in the industry. Customers gain incomparable benefits for their foot health by being recommended “their” model, which fits their foot perfectly and offers the best comfort. This means that problems can not only be detected and analyzed but also resolved immediately.
The innovation of “scan2fit” even makes it possible to track changes in the development of the feet. In addition, registered customers will be able to access their scans at any time through the customer portal in the future.
The insights gained flow directly into improving BÄR shoe lasts and sustainable shoe development. After all, customer satisfaction comes first at BÄR.
Step into the future of shoe comfort: have your feet scanned, receive expert advice, and secure a €15 voucher. Opening hours for the BÄR stores in Düsseldorf, Stuttgart, and Hamburg: Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Arrange a personal appointment today by calling the relevant telephone number: Düsseldorf: 0211 328254, Stuttgart: 0711 2296791, Hamburg: 040 34960071.
About BÄR
For decades, BÄR has stood for quality and the highest level of comfort. With “scan2fit,” the company is once again setting new standards and giving customers the opportunity to find shoes that not only fit perfectly but also support the health of their feet.
May 2023
Bär outlet celebrates its 30th anniversary
Since 1982, the family-owned company BÄR, based in Bietigheim-Bissingen, has been producing shoes that enable natural walking and standing thanks to 100% toe freedom.
What is special about BÄR shoes?
Our shoes grew out of a personal history of suffering and stand for healthy walking. My father, Christian Bär, worked in field sales, and the long hours of walking and standing caused back problems and sore feet. Everyday work became a burden. He realized that his footwear was causing the pain. And he found the solution in an almost revolutionary idea: shoes should have the shape of the feet. This allows the toes to move and spread freely as the foot rolls forward. He complemented this barefoot walking concept with cushioning. Our soles are flexible and neutralize harmful impacts on hard surfaces. Since 2013, my brother Sebastian and I have run the company. Even today, our personal expertise and passion go into developing new shoes. We test every shoe ourselves, and only when we are 100 percent convinced does it go into production.
How did the outlet come about?
The outlet came about by chance. Our first company location was on Löchgauer Straße in the city center, and interested residents of Bietigheim kept ringing the doorbell. They wanted to know who BÄR was and try on a shoe. In the early days, it sometimes happened that the accountant handed out our BÄR shoes for customers to try on and explained them. In 1993, we expanded with a new building in the industrial area and included the outlet in the plans from the outset. Being particularly close to our customers has always been important to us. Many enthusiastically report an aha moment from their very first step, and 94 percent of our customers recommend our BÄR shoes to others.
Why is it worth visiting the outlet?
The outlet combines a huge selection of discounted shoes with our wealth of expert advice. Our employees are highly trained and provide visitors with help and guidance. Since the end of 2022, we have also offered our free professional foot analysis digitally using a 3D scan. Our SCAN2FIT method is based on a software solution that is unique in the industry. Based on the data collected, customers are recommended their perfect model. On an area of 510 square meters, there is a selection of 4,500 pairs of high-quality shoes that enable natural movement instead of forcing the feet into a corset.
What are you planning to celebrate the anniversary?
Starting April 27, we will celebrate our 30th anniversary with promotional weeks, including a €15 celebration bonus on purchases of at least €100, along with other offers. Until the end of June, every customer can especially benefit from visiting our outlet. Anyone who tries on our shoes is convinced afterward.
March 2023
Bär is committed to plastic-free seas
The family-owned company uses SEAQUAL® YARN for its new knitted sneaker PITO and supports VOX MARIS
Who hasn’t seen them: the disturbing images of the Pacific Garbage Patch, the largest of the five ocean currents where plastic waste accumulates. This floating island of trash, covering an area the size of Central Europe, lies between Hawaii, the American mainland, and Asia in the Pacific Ocean. BÄR, the shoe brand from Baden-Württemberg, wants to do its part to help solve this global problem in our oceans. That is why the company uses SEAQUAL®YARN recycled yarn in the PITO shoe model. BÄR also supports the VOX MARIS project, which helps fishermen dispose of fishing nets properly and purchases the marine plastic that ends up in their nets while they fish.
How plastic becomes something fantastic
Sustainability is a major focus at BÄR and has always been an integral part of the company’s values. For its durable shoes, the shoemaker uses several sustainably produced materials, such as terracare® leather in the BERGKOMFORT models and the vegan alternative HyphaLiteTM TC for EMMA VEGAN and OLEANDER. The new superlight knitted sneakers PITO are vegan and sustainable. The knitted fabric is made from 100 percent recycled polyester: SEAQUAL® YARN. Ninety percent of it comes from post-consumer PET bottles collected on land, while the remaining 10 percent is SEAQUAL® MARINE PLASTIC, which is made by recycling plastic waste from the sea. The SEAQUALINITIATIVE aims to rid the oceans of plastic and transform the collected material into environmentally friendly polyester fibers. The sustainable origin feels good, but the product’s benefits are also a key focus for the shoemaker. The lightweight, highly stretchable textile knit provides plenty of room for the feet to roll naturally and allows continuous ventilation. Because it has no seams, nothing presses against the foot, while the footbed with a rounded heel (4 mm cushioning at the front, 6 mm at the back) enables an exceptionally soft landing, and the wide-opening five-eyelet lacing makes them easy to put on. The soft EVA sole with a grippy rubber tread offers outstanding shock absorption with every step and, thanks to its shape, guarantees complete freedom for the toes—the distinctive feature of BÄR.
VOX MARIS – the voice of the sea
„Es ist mir ein persönliches Anliegen, dass wir uns mit der BÄR GmbH für die Zukunft kommender Generationen engagieren und Verantwortung übernehmen“, so Christof Bär, Geschäftsführer der Marke BÄR. In diesem Sinne unterstützt das Familienunternehmen das Projekt der BioDesign Foundation von Anfang an und ist seit 2021 offizieller Kooperationspartner von VOX MARIS, einem Projekt im Mittelmeerraum. Größtenteils kommt der Plastikmüll in unseren Meeren vom Land und zersetzt sich im Wasser zu schädlichem Mikroplastik. Ein Teil des Problems wird vom Fischfang verursacht. Fischernetze und weitere Ausrüstung landen oft im Meer. In südlichen Ländern werden die Netze teilweise illegal im Meer entsorgt – in diesen Geisternetzen verenden Delfine und andere Meeresarten qualvoll. VOX MARIS setzt bei beiden Ursachen an und macht die Fischer zu Verbündeten. In Zusammenarbeit mit dem Konsortium der Reedervon Chioggia, einer Hafenstadt an der Adria in der italienischen Region Venetien, hat die BioDesign Foundation eine wirksame Lösung gefunden. Die Stiftung kauft den Fischern weggeworfene Fischernetze und den in ihren Netzen “gefangenen“ Plastik-Beifang ab. So verhindert VOX MARIS einerseits, dass die Netze im Meer entsorgt werden, um die Sondermüll-Gebühren zu umgehen. Andererseits werden die Fischer für den Mehraufwand entlohnt, den Plastikmüll an Land zu bringen. Dafür wurden Container in der Nähe von Häfen und Fischmärkten aufgestellt. Dort liefern die Fischer den marinen Müll an, der gewogen und von den Mitarbeitern der Stiftung weiterverarbeitet wird. 100.000 Kilogramm sind in einem Jahr in Chiogga eingesammelt worden. Schätzungsweise 100.000 Tonnen enden jedes Jahr ins Mittelmeer. Das Ziel der Stiftung ist es, das Projekt auf alle Häfen in Italien und das gesamte Mittelmeer auszuweiten. Kein einziges Fischernetz soll ins Meer gelangen.
About BÄR: “It is a personal concern of mine that BÄR GmbH commits to the future of coming generations and assumes responsibility,” says Christof Bär, Managing Director of the BÄR brand. With this in mind, the family-owned company has supported the BioDesign Foundation’s project from the very beginning and has been an official cooperation partner of VOX MARIS, a project in the Mediterranean region, since 2021. Most of the plastic waste in our oceans comes from land and breaks down in the water into harmful microplastics. Fishing is partly responsible for the problem. Fishing nets and other equipment often end up in the sea. In southern countries, nets are sometimes illegally disposed of in the sea—dolphins and other marine species die agonizing deaths in these ghost nets. VOX MARIS addresses both causes and turns fishermen into allies. In cooperation with the consortium of shipowners from Chioggia, a port city on the Adriatic in Italy’s Veneto region, the BioDesign Foundation has found an effective solution. The foundation buys discarded fishing nets from fishermen, as well as the plastic bycatch “caught” in their nets. In this way, VOX MARIS prevents the nets from being disposed of at sea to avoid hazardous-waste disposal fees. At the same time, fishermen are compensated for the additional effort involved in bringing the plastic waste ashore. Containers have been placed near ports and fish markets for this purpose. Fishermen deliver the marine waste there, where it is weighed and then processed by the foundation’s employees. 100,000 kilograms were collected in Chioggia in one year. An estimated 100,000 tonnes end up in the Mediterranean every year. The foundation’s goal is to expand the project to all ports in Italy and throughout the Mediterranean. Not a single fishing net should end up in the sea.
For over 40 years, the family-owned company has been manufacturing shoes with toe freedom, zero heel drop, and flexibility to the highest standards of craftsmanship. What began in 1982 with a revolutionary idea by Christian Bär has been continued since 2013 by his sons Christof and Sebastian Bär with innovative ideas and passion. BÄR shoes are available at 22 BÄR stores, in the online shop, through traditional mail order, and via Amazon and Mirapodo. 130 employees work at the company headquarters in Bietigheim-Bissingen, while another 400 permanent employees manufacture the shoes at the company’s own factory in India.
January 2023
Old shoes, new happiness: BÄR donates shoes for a good cause
Since 1982, BÄR Manufaktur for comfortable shoes has stood for a positive feeling in life and when walking. Its guiding principle, “Be free—from the feet up,” can be felt everywhere. BÄR’s collection exclusively comprises models offering uncompromising freedom for the toes. Sustainability and social responsibility have always been guiding principles of the Bär family.
For many years, BÄR has been successfully supporting aid projects and is once again donating several boxes full of hope this year. In total, more than 900 pairs of shoes were handed over to various charitable organizations. From early December 2022 to early January 2023, every customer received a 15% discount voucher for purchases at BÄR in exchange for at least one old pair of shoes, regardless of brand, age, or condition. BÄR Manufaktur is now fulfilling its promise by refurbishing the shoes that are still in good condition and donating them to various charitable organizations to support people in need. This initiative “recycles” unused shoes. The following organizations will each receive a share of this special shoe donation: Global Care: a worldwide children’s aid organization supporting families in Ljuboml and Volhynia, Ukraine; Invitare: a foundation for mothers and children in emergency situations; Protestant United Parish of Bietigheim: supporting people in need in Ukraine. The donation was personally handed over to Invitare representative Gerrit Vesper and Gisela Kunz, manager of the INVITARE store. Representing Global Care, Pastor Andrej Demjanchuk and Walentin Schüle accepted the shoes. With this donation, BÄR Schuhe emphasizes how important it is for the company to act sustainably, assume social responsibility, and support those who need help most urgently. The family-owned company hopes that its donation will help bring smiles to many faces and support people during difficult times.
