A Mukishoes review has been one of my most requested barefoot shoe reviews. Their casual barefoot sneakers (with lots of vegan options) have garnered quite a following for being ethical, extremely lightweight and stylish. So let’s dig into why Mukishoes are a hit among barefoot shoe wearers! Read on for my full review of the Mukishoes barefoot brand
**Mukishoes has created a code for my readers! ANYAMUKI will give you 10% off and has no expiration**
Mukishoes Brand Review
Mukishoes’ crowdfunding campaign landed early 2019, to the excitement of many in the barefoot crowd. A women-owned business with an ethically-made, sustainable product is not exactly common in shoe manufacturing, let alone barefoot shoe manufacturing. Friends Madlen and Marta place as much emphasis on sustainability as the barefoot qualities, making this a perfect brand for the socially conscious among us.
Mukishoes makes casual barefoot shoes with a simple unisex design for every day wear. Their stock changes seasonally and they release a few new models at a time. They have leather, cotton, hemp, and cork sneakers and boots. Their winter models are often lined with wool, but there are always several vegan options.
Mukishoes are 3 – 5 mm thick across all their styles and extremely flexible. They come in sizes EU 36-48 for adults and 24-35 for kids. They are suuuper lightweight and the ground feel is always excellent. People love having mainstream looking kicks that feel like nothing!
Mukishoes Barefoot Sneakers
Mukishoes casual barefoot sneakers are simple and cool, reminiscent of a Converse style. The always have a few fun seasonal colors, as well as perennial favorites. And you can find plenty of vegan options (some leather sneakers too).
I have tried only Mukishoes canvas sneakers so far, made of 100% cotton (dyed with GOTS certified pigment) with an outsole of recycled rubber. They are sooo light and flexible. The material is rather thin, but seems sturdy and they have worn well for me. Mukishoes recommends spot cleaning their shoes and not machine-washing them so the color stays. Personally, I would spray them with a protectant first because I love the color so much.
Mukishoes Barefoot Boots
*Fall boots will be restocked in Sept. 2021*
In addition to great casual barefoot sneakers, Mukishoes also has boots! In the cooler months you can find chelsea boots, a combat boot, and wool lined high top sneakers. The style is on point and they have been a huge hit in the barefoot community. One bonus about Mukishoes barefoot boots is that they are less than $200, which frankly is not common for quality barefoot boots. I love my Chelsea boots (vegan!) and you can read my full review of them here!
Mukishoes Barefoot Kids Shoes
New in 2020 are Mukishoes barefoot shoes for kids (size EU 24-35). The Mini Moss, shown here, is vegan and lined with a waterproof membrane! They pull on easily, and are so soft and comfortable. My oldest is very particular about his shoes being light and not breathable (he’s a no-sock kiddo), and these are some of his favorites.
For All Our Favorite Barefoot Shoes for Kids, Read This Post!
How Mukishoes Compares
Mukishoes check all the boxes of healthy footwear. They are zero drop, flexible, and anatomically shaped. Let’s see how they compare to other major barefoot shoe brands.
Vivobarefoot Vs Mukishoes
Widthwise, I’ve found Mukishoes to be pretty comparable to Vivobarefoot, except that Vivobarefoot shoes are structured and usually stiffer (so toe rubbing on those will be more uncomfortable). Vivobarefoot also slopes after the big toe, while Mukishoes have a more rounded toe. Mukishoes will be good for someone who has long 2nd and 3rd toes, or who likes Vivobarefoot but wants something more flexible.
Vivobarefoot Geo Court size 37 compared to Mukishoes size 37. They are almost identical in toe box width, but you can see the Vivobarefoot has a more prominent big toe space and then curves sharply.
Read my full review of the Vivobarefoot Geo Court here!
Feelgrounds Vs Mukishoes
Feelgrounds size 37 next to Mukis size 37. The Feelgrounds are a touch wider, otherwise very similar in shape.
Read my full review of the Feelgrounds Barefoot Shoe Brand here!
A few more comparisons
Wildlings size 37 Belenka size 37
Understanding your foot type and how the different brands fit can be a huge time saver in your search for the perfect barefoot shoes.
Click here for more information on Foot Type and Barefoot Shoe Brand Comparisons
Mukishoes Sizing & Fit
Mukishoes usually run true to size, but wide and high volume feet might size up (especially in the boots). They are good for Greek feet, and are medium width. I have a size 37 in all my Mukishoes, which is the size I normally get in lace up shoes and boots.
I wear an insole in my Mukishoes because I have low volume feet. You can read about the insoles I like to wear in this post! And because I have wide feet, I am wearing mine either without socks or with thin socks so I have enough toe space.
Ordering Mukishoes
The code ANYAMUKI for 10% off can be used on all Mukishoes models, including kids!
Because Mukishoes are ethically produced in small batches, things go in and out out of stock. This is sometimes frustrating (I personally hate scarcity mindset when shopping), but if Mukishoes has a style you love I wouldn’t wait on it. They do restock throughout the season, but seasonal models are only available short term.
They ship using DHL, which can make it to the US within a few days and is a pretty reliable service (you can designate No Signature Required to avoid contact with the carrier). Returns are possible on unworn shoes within 14 days of receipt, but the customer pays return shipping.
Mukishoes Style
Mukishoes are simple and streamlined, making them easy to wear with a lot of outfits. I wear the sneakers with just about everything from a hoodie to a dress, and the boots I am pleasantly surprised to find can be dressed up nicely for work and date nights. IMO, Mukishoes has some of the most versatile styles in the barefoot shoe world right now, and you should have no shortage of ways to wear them.
Mukishoes Video Review
See the incredibly light & flexible Mukishoes sneakers in action.
Mukishoes Review Conclusion
All my interactions with Mukishoes have been heartfelt and positive. They are two dedicated women trying to help people move and live better with their quality shoes. The simple, unisex design and barefoot features make these a perfect everyday shoe, and you can feel good knowing that you are supporting a company out to make the world a better place.
32 thoughts on “Mukishoes Review – A Sustainable Barefoot Shoe Brand”
anya mahalo ! promo saved me shipping cost to ohio looking forward to try this fabulous brand
xo
I’m sorry I missed this comment! But I hope you loved them!
Hi Anya. Just wondering how these are holding up after a few months? Do you think you could get away with running in these occasionally? I only have the budget for one pair of sneakers and would love a white pair. Thanks!
Hey! They’re holding up great, and yes you could certainly exercise in them occasionally. I have, and no issues. I am wearing my Plum ones from the fall more often, so getting them dirty isn’t a concern. For how light and flexible they are they’re holding up really well.
Hello! I was going to purchase the Chelsea but I’m glad I read your post entirely. What did you mean by return shipping costs refunded via PayPal? I am a little worried about sizing (between 36 and 37)…
PayPal has a shipping reimbursement program that if you have a PayPal account you can sign up for. Then if you return a purchase bought using your PayPal account you can submit your receipt for a reimbursement of the shipping costs.
I didn’t know about this! So many new possibilities!
Have you ever tried shipping a pair of shoes back to Europe? Paypal only pays up to $30 and I’m wondering if that’s enough.
I have done it a few times! It’s been about $25 each time, to different European countries. I get basic shipping with USPS, just whatever is cheapest.
I missed getting the Plum sneaker in size 37, what a great color. But I snagged the blue one on sale along with the cork Chelsea. Hope they work out. Ordering from Europe is a commitment!
Oh darn! The blue ones look beautiful, and I know the Chelsea is. Hope you love them!
Love your review on mukishoes, thank you for rolling them up so we can see exactly how flexible they are also putting them on, so we can see how they look on feet.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks to your detailed review, I got a pair of Mukishoes Azurit and absolutely love them! I just ordered 2 more pairs (the only 2 options available in my size). 🙂
The groundfeel is excellent and the little bumps on the soles are like a foot massage. After wearing Mukishoes all day on hard pavement my feet and legs feel amazing! It seems that the thinner, more flexible sole is surprisingly more comfortable than a slightly thicker sole, and also helps immediately correct biomechanics when walking. After wearing Mukishoes, my Xeros now feel very thick, stiff, and clunky and will be relgated to cycling instead of walking. 😉
Since Mukishoes doesn’t offer any ballerina flats or similar dress shoes, are there any other barefoot brands with a similar groundfeel to Mukishoes that you could recommend?
Yes! The new ballet flats from Groundies have a similar super thin and flexible sole where you can feel every bump underneath. They are the thinnest soled ballet flats I have tried. You can find them here!
https://www.groundies.com/bella/
That is very helpful to know, thanks! 🙂
How do the Gea Soles Yrsa or Shapen Mary Jane style flats compare to Mukishoes?
With the Yrsa you can choose from a few different sole options. If you choose the thinnest Vibram sole it’s pretty thin and flexible, not quite as thin and flexible as Mukishoes though. There’s also the leather outsole which is super thin and flexible. If you like the thinness of Mukishoes you would probably want to get the leather outsole from Gea Soles. Shapen’s outsoles are pretty hard. They roll up and are flexible, but firm so you don’t get as good of ground feel as Groundies, Mukishoes, and Gea Soles.
Thanks so much for all this info – so very helpful! 🙂
I forgot about Zlatush shoes too – are they very flexible?
I read somewhere that Groundies Bella might be too wide in the heel and better for high volume feet. I have narrow heels and low volume and medium height arches. Have you found this to be the case?
They are definitely loose in the heel. I don’t think the volume matters as much in those shoes, since they are completely open over the arch. But they are spacious in the toes and wide in the heels. Lots of people with narrow heels are finding their heels are slipping. I got one size down from my usual Groundies size and they fit pretty well, but I need a heel grip to keep them from flopping.
How do the canvas sneaker compare to xero shoes? I have the prio in a 38, but they are a little big. I’m debating if I should size down?
Xero Shoes run narrower than Mukishoes, so if the Prios are big I would get a size down (assuming that you got the current version of the Prio that runs true to size).
Do you know if there are any customs fees when shipping to the US? If so, do you know the price?
There shouldn’t be on a single order. We’ve only ever had import fees when we’ve brought big shipments in for our shop – I’ve never been charged duties on personal purchases to the US.
I’m stuck between the size 37 and 38 in the Igneous boot. My foot measures 23.75. The Mukishoes customer service rep recommended sizing up to 38 to accommodate for splay if I wear thin socks with these boots, but I see you said you wear 37 across the board for this brand. Would you provide your foot measurement so I can compare? Thx!
Hey! I would agree with that, I think a 37 would be too small for you. I sized up to a 38 in the Igneous for a wool insole and thick socks but I have a 37 in all other Mukishoes. The Igneous is long on me, but still fits well. My feet are 23.3cm long, but wide so I try to go with the bigger size if I can.
Hi Anya,
Any insider info on when they might restock for the fall/winter 2022 season?
Thx!
Most likely September, but I already have a message in to them asking and should find out more details soon 😉
Thank you for your thorough reviews! I have a disability and it is so much easier on me when i can walk barefoot. I discovered Vivo about 5 years ago and have been wearing the same shoes i bought all these years later, they last forever. I was looking for something a little more inexpensive but sporty looking so these fit the bill perfectly. And your discount code was an added bonus. Can’t wait to try them!
Hope you love the Mukishoes! Also, I’m glad to hear your Vivo’s have held up so well for you. How being barefoot/barefoot shoes works for people with disabilities is a very under-explored area, but anecdotally it seems to help many with gait or mobility issues feel more balanced and stable. I’m glad to hear it helps you too!
Yes! They barefoot shoes help so much with my balance. Got my Mukishoes and I LOVE LOVE LOVE them! Bought both black and white, will probably now start buying some of the more adventurous colors.