Frequently asked questions

Three things, no exceptions: a wide toe box so the toes can spread out, zero drop (heel and toe at the same height) and a 4 mm sole, thin and flexible, that lets you feel the ground. The insole is flat, with no arch support, so the foot does its job and gets stronger on its own.

Slowly. Start with an hour or two a day, walk on soft surfaces (grass, earth, wooden floors) and add time when nothing bothers you. Ten minutes a day of foot exercises helps. If pain shows up, ease off: this is not about putting up with it.

It can happen. Natural materials have no softening finishes, so sometimes they rub a little at first. Wear socks those first days and massage the spot that rubs so the material gives.

In most cases yes: the foot builds up its own muscle instead of handing the job to an insole. That said, we are not podiatrists. If you have a diagnosed condition or wear prescribed insoles, talk to your professional first. Our last is very roomy and takes your own insoles.

They are ideal: growing feet need room and they need to feel the ground. They grow about 1 mm a month on average, so check the size every three or four months and leave 12 to 17 mm in front of the toes.

Measure your foot and compare it with the size guide. The measurements in the table are the inside of the shoe without the insole: the insole is included, but using it is optional. If you are between two sizes, take the larger one, except with the sambalias, which are worn without socks and want a closer fit.

Standing, with your heel against the wall, step on a sheet of paper and mark the tip of your longest toe. Measure in centimetres and add about 1 cm of room: that number is your size in our guide. Do it in the afternoon, when the foot is at its largest, and measure both: go by the longer one. There is a step-by-step in the size guide.

Our lasts are quite roomy, so wide feet tend to breathe at last. If your foot is narrow, go for a closer fit: instead of the centimetre of room we recommend, leave yourself under 5 mm. Try them on and, if the fit is not quite right, send them back to us.

Yes, they are made to be worn without it. The insole is 4-5 mm thick, so taking it out gives you a bit more room if the instep or the width feels tight. Bear in mind that the measurements in the size guide are without the insole.

Yes, from the toe to the laces: no leather, no wool, no silk, nothing of animal origin. We work with Oleatex® (olive-based vegan leather), cork, linen, hemp and GOTS certified organic cotton, with hemp and coconut fibre insoles, and a bio-vegetable TPR sole made from plant oils. It is all in biomaterials.

In Spain, for the know-how, for our principles, for efficiency and for being close by: Our shoemaking tradition is held in high regard at home and abroad. The design comes out of Granada.

By hand and never in the machine. Take the insoles out if you are using them, brush the dirt off dry and, if a mark is left, go over it with a soft brush or a damp cloth and a little mild soap. Take off the soap and let them dry in the shade. After a long day, take the insoles out and let them air. The detail is in cleaning and care.

The materials are naturally water-resistant, but they are neither waterproof nor water-repellent: they take drizzle, not a downpour. If you get caught out, let them dry in the shade before wearing them again. For winter, a waterproofing made for fabrics gives them extra protection.

Because they are foot-friendlyfootwear: a wide, anatomical toe box, and a flat, thin, flexible insole. And because they are made with plant-based materials instead of animal or plastic derivatives.

In Spain and Portugal, 24 to 48 hours; one day more to the Balearic Islands. In Europe, 4 to 6 working days. Outside Europe, 6 to 10. Pre-order styles are separate: their date is shown during checkout.

That it is still being made and you are reserving your pair. Styles in stock go out straight away; pre-orders are delivered in spring, with the exact date shown during checkout.

We ship worldwide. Outside Europe there may be customs charges, which are paid by the buyer.

Yes, as long as it has not left our warehouse. Write to us at hello@sambasthebambas.com and we will sort it out.

You have 15 days from the day the order arrives. In Spain and Portugal we pay for the return if you send it with Nacex: say so at the office (an office, not a Nacex point) so it goes to Sambas the Bambas, to 1804/3242, carriage forward. If you send it another way, the shipping is yours to pay and with the refund we give you back what the shipping on your order cost: that is the amount, not whatever the return costs you, so look for the cheapest option near you. It is one or the other, so that each side pays for one shipment. In the rest of Europe the return shipping is yours to pay and we refund the full amount together with the original order shipping. From outside the European Union, write to us before sending anything.

Size swaps are on us in mainland Spain, the Balearic Islands and Portugal. Write to us at hello@sambasthebambas.com and, if the swap is possible, we send the new pair and collect the other one from your door, all at our expense. The Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla are outside this: for shipping they count as non-EU territory, so from there the way to do it is the usual return. From the rest of Europe and from outside the European Union, write to us and we will sort it out with you.

At hello@sambasthebambas.com or on Instagram, at @sambasthebambas. A person answers.