Barefoot

In a sea of shoes, a stylish yet functional pair truly makes a mark.

Enter Native, a footwear brand from Vancouver, Canada which, foremost, epitomizes comfort. Made for walking, Native is made of injection-molded EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate), hence it’s lightweight and “cushy to the feet”.

Aside from being highly comfortable, Native is also washable, water-proof, odor-resistant and anti-microbial. Also, most beachbums prefer to use a Native for beachcombing activities such as snorkeling (can be worn with your fins on), kayaking, among others.

Green feet

“Walking the talk of keeping things fuss-free and sustainable, Native shoes are produced with zero-waste, low-energy emissions, and absolutely animal by-product free. Moreover, Native donates 1 percent of its proceeds to various environmental groups,” emphasized in a press statement.

A pair for everyone

“Everyone in the family can own a pair (of Native),” said Brand Manager Pepe Cervero. “When you get inside the store, there’s a corner for men, a designated spot for the women, and there’s a collection for kids wherein when outgrown, can function as cellphone holder,” added Cervero.

Collection

A hodgepodge of eye-catchy pairs in bubble gum hues, as well as the subdued basic footwear colors of ash gray, black and dark blue are available for the picking in pursuit of barefoot freedom.

Miller is a casual pair designed for formal dressing. Jefferson, on the other hand, leans towards an edgy style with a balance between “subtle rebellion and good taste.”  For the boat shoe fan, Howard is the pair to own. Jericho has cool written all over it – for “casual and effortless swag”. The Espadrille-like Verona slip-on is an uber comfy spin-off while the sneaker-like Hugo is effortlessly cool. The ultra-lite combat boots collection of Fitzsimmons (hiking) and Jimmy (outdoor, dirty adventures) is a breath of fresh air, a cool change from the usual heavyweight pair. Lastly, flipflops for men (Paolo) and femmes (Blanca) channel a tropical beach vibe. After care: Wash and air-dry them.

Native are locally available on the racks of the first Native store in Central Visayas, at the ground floor SM City Cebu The Northwing (flanked by Sanuk and Café Laguna). It’s also available in Res|Toe|Run and Bratpack in Ayala Center Cebu. The Primer Group of Companies, Asia’s next retail giant, is the exclusive distributor of Native in the Philippines.