When Dirk Pfeffer talks about barefoot shoes, he really goes into raptures. “Humans are born barefoot and are not suited to squeezing their feet into tight shoes.” 80 to 90% of all people are able to wear barefoot shoes; These train the muscles and are intended to promote the body’s natural movement. “People are concerned about their health,” adds Dirk Pfeffer. Before founding their brand Blusun, he and his business partner Silvia Brindlmayer thought a lot about the concept that corresponds to their ideas for barefoot shoes. The two of them know the barefoot shoe business from the inside out: Silvia Brindlmayer has almost 20 years of experience in shoe design and knows how barefoot shoes have to be designed so that they are functional and don’t look like typical barefoot shoes. Dirk Pfeffer has been working in the sales and development of barefoot shoes for 14 years. He managed sales at Leguano for eight years and founded the Groundies brand in 2018. “The offering on the market no longer corresponded to our values and our philosophy,” explains Pfeffer. He and Brindlmayer were dissatisfied and saw enough space for a new brand. “I know the weaknesses in the market and can turn them into our strengths,” says the sales professional confidently. Due to their many years of expertise, both of them consciously accepted the company risk. “We firmly believe in our concept and our abilities,” says Dirk Pfeffer. “With our own brand Blusun, we want to preserve the essence of barefoot shoes while offering innovative designs that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Our vision is to create shoes that support natural movement while looking stylish and modern.”
Blue sky and sun
The name Blusun is inspired by the Italian pun “sole azzuro”, which means “blue sky and sun” in German. “This name combines the beauty of the azure sky and the radiance of the sun and is intended to convey lightness, naturalness and well-being – exactly what our barefoot shoes stand for,” says Silvia Brindlmayer, explaining the inspiration for the name. The GmbH was founded in November 2023 in Pirmasens. There are two employees plus five freelancers who take care of marketing, social media, online and shipping. In the first season, almost 30 retailers specializing in barefoot shoes were served. The brand has an international focus and reaches retailers in Germany, the Netherlands, Estonia, Sweden, Poland, Finland, Switzerland, Italy and Greece. “The trust is there,” says Pfeffer, pleased about the starting phase. In August, the new S/S 2025 collection was presented at the ANWR and SABU order fairs.
Main and flash collection
There are two main collections, supplemented by flash offers when there are new colors and trends. “The collection concept stands for consistently implemented barefoot shoes in high-quality materials, which are manufactured in sustainable quality and designed with attention to detail,” explains Silvia Brindlmayer. With Blusun we want to offer a barefoot shoe with an understatement that has a minimalist look and a subtle logo. The logo on the heel counter consists of a half sun that combines into a full sun when both shoes are side by side. Another recognizable feature is the two-tone sole with a color accent in the heel area. Overall, the main collection is presented in subtle pastel tones that can be easily integrated into everyday life. “Nevertheless, we keep an eye on the market and bring out bright colors with the flash collections in order to always stay in tune with the times,” explains Brindlmayer.
Shafts from Portugal
The soles are thin, flexible and have no heels. The shoes have a foot-friendly width that offers enough space for the toes. Transparency is important to the two company founders. Production and procurement are concentrated in Europe. The non-slip TPU outsoles are produced in Germany, the shafts in Portugal. The certified smooth and velor materials come from recognized tanneries in Germany, Italy and Portugal. All other components also come from Europe. The company duo is regularly in Portugal for production. “We communicate openly and transparently with the production partners and if there are problems, we find a solution,” says Silvia Brindlmayer. Does the market even need a new barefoot shoe brand? “Absolutely,” says Dirk Pfeffer, “every new barefoot shoe brand plays a crucial role in drawing people’s attention to the benefits of this shoe category. The more brands there are, the greater the awareness and interest of consumers becomes.” For the future, the two want to strengthen their market position and make the brand better known. “We set high standards for the quality of our products and want to exceed the standards. To achieve this, we are constantly working on the further development of our materials and manufacturing processes, but also on the development of new models that further improve the comfort and functionality of the barefoot shoes.” To ensure that the popularity of barefoot shoes continues to grow, the Blusun team is planning small events and sales coaching sessions in retail . Dirk Pfeffer will enthusiastically tell his story about natural running: “The shoe should put a smile on your face when you try it on.”
