Top First Shoe Brands for Little Feet

Choosing the right first pair of shoes for your little one is a significant milestone for any parent. The ideal pair should offer a perfect blend of comfort, support, and durability to cater to those initial steps. Fortunately, various reputable brands specialize in crafting shoes that cater to these needs, each offering unique styles and features that suit different preferences and requirements. To discover our handpicked selection of the best first shoe brands, see the list below.

Illustration of first shoes

Best brands of first shoes in 2025

Nike

Nike is one of the world's leading producers of athletic footwear, holding a significant 38.2% of the total footwear market and 30% of the athletic footwear market as of 2022. The company produces over 800 million pairs of shoes annually, with Vietnam and Indonesia being the primary manufacturing locations, accounting for 50% and 27% of production, respectively. Nike's footwear segment generates approximately 62.5% of its global revenues, with $29.2 billion in footwear revenue in 2022. The company has also achieved remarkable digital penetration, with 50% of its sales expected to be from e-commerce by 2022. Notably, Nike's market share in basketball shoes has doubled from 43% in 1987 to 86% in 2019.

Adidas

Adidas, founded by Adi Dassler in 1924 as Gebruder Dassler Schuhfabrik, is renowned for its innovative and high-quality athletic shoes. Adi Dassler's first sprint shoe, patented in 1925, featured a bio-mechanically designed pitch and was made from materials like goatskin and vegetable tanned leather. Adidas gained international recognition after Jesse Owens won four gold medals wearing their shoes at the 1936 Olympics. The brand offers a wide range of products, with 62.6% of its 1847 footwear products catering to men, and it is valued at approximately 14.3 billion U.S. dollars as of 2022. Adidas is the second-largest sportswear manufacturer globally, known for its iconic designs like the Samba and Stan Smith. For more information on the brand's history, please visit Adidas Group's official history page.

Converse

Converse, founded by Marquis Mills Converse in 1908 in Malden, Massachusetts, is renowned for its pioneering role in athletic footwear, particularly with the introduction of the All Star basketball shoe in 1917. This shoe, later renamed the Chuck Taylor All Star after feedback and promotions by Charles "Chuck" Taylor, became the first mass-produced basketball shoe in North America. By the 1920s, the shoe was available in various colors and materials, including all-black canvas and leather versions. Today, Converse produces a significant portion of its shoes in Vietnam, accounting for about 50% of its production, utilizing high-quality canvas and natural rubber materials. For a detailed timeline of the Converse brand, visit the link.

Vans

Vans, founded by Paul and James Van Doren along with Gordon Lee and Serge Delia on March 16, 1966, in Anaheim, California, has become a seminal brand in the footwear industry, particularly renowned for its innovative skateboarding shoes. The company's early success was marked by the sale of 12 pairs of the #44 Deck Shoes, now known as the Authentic, on its first day. By the 1970s, Vans had become a staple in the skateboarding community with models like the Era, Old Skool, and Classic Slip-On, which featured the iconic waffle sole and jazz stripe design. Despite facing bankruptcy in 1984, Vans rebounded and went public in 1991, expanding its global presence. Today, Vans is a leading brand in skate, surf, snow, and BMX sports, as well as in music and fashion culture.

New Balance

New Balance, founded in 1906 by William J. Riley, has established itself as a pioneering brand in athletic footwear, notably introducing the first running shoe with a rippled sole, the Trackster, in 1961, which was available in various widths to accommodate different foot types. This innovation was a significant milestone, as it catered to the specific needs of athletes. By 1972, when Jim Davis purchased the company, New Balance had only six full-time workers but was already making a mark with its high-quality products. The brand's commitment to innovation continued with the launch of the 320 in 1976, which was voted the best running shoe by Runner's World magazine. Today, New Balance is renowned for its wide range of athletic and lifestyle shoes, including the iconic 574 model introduced in 1988. For a comprehensive view of their brand history and philosophy, you can explore more on their site about New Balance's history and iconic products.

Puma

Puma, founded in 1948 by Rudolf Dassler, has established itself as a leading producer of athletic shoes, known for its innovative designs and performance-driven products. The company's first shoe, the Atom, was a soccer shoe that quickly gained popularity among athletes. In 1952, Puma's Super Atom introduced the world's first football boot with screw-in studs, marking a significant innovation in football footwear. Over the years, Puma has collaborated with top athletes and teams, contributing to numerous Olympic and World Cup victories. With a global presence and a 75-year history, Puma continues to push the boundaries of speed and athletic performance. For more details, you can visit their detailed brand history here.

Sketchers

Skechers, founded in 1992 by Robert Greenberg, has established itself as a leading producer of casual, active, and dress style footwear, known for its comfort and style. The brand gained significant traction with its 1993 introduction of the 'Chrome Dome,' a unisex grunge-style boot, which helped it become a trendy name in major department stores like Nordstrom. By 2022, Skechers had shipped nearly 267 million pairs of shoes worldwide, marking a 33.4% growth from 2021. The company's revenue has also seen substantial growth, reaching $8.1 billion in 2023, a 55.8% increase from 2019. Skechers holds a 6.05% market share in the footwear industry as of Q3 2024. For more detailed statistics on Skechers shoes, visit Skechers shoes statistics.

Clarks

Clarks, founded in 1825 by brothers James and Cyrus Clark in Somerset, England, has been a leading producer of high-quality footwear for nearly 200 years. The company began by creating rugs from sheepskins and later innovated by using offcuts to produce the first Clarks shoes, slippers, in 1828. By the late 1800s, James' son William mechanized the shoemaking process, bringing Clarks to the forefront of technological innovation. Clarks' commitment to innovation continued with the development of a new foot measuring system for children in the 1940s and the iconic Desert boot designed by Nathan Clark in 1950. Today, Clarks remains a staple in many wardrobes, known for its timeless classics and contemporary designs. For more insights on the brand's rich legacy, explore the history of Clarks shoes.

Stride Rite

Stride Rite, founded in 1919 in Boston, Massachusetts, is a leading brand in children's footwear, renowned for its podiatrist-recommended shoes that support healthy foot development. With over a century of experience, Stride Rite offers innovative, stylish, and durable shoes designed for every stage of childhood, from prewalker to big kid sizes. The brand's SRtech(tm) line and Soft Motion(tm) baby shoes feature superior craftsmanship, including a patented double lasting process and smooth, seamless linings for comfort and durability. Stride Rite has consistently outperformed industry benchmarks, with a 6.9% increase in store comps in 2004, and it operates a significant number of retail stores across the U.S.

Keds

Keds, founded in 1916 by U.S. Rubber, is renowned as the pioneer of the first mass-marketed canvas-top sneaker, with its original design, the Champion, allowing wearers to "sneak around silently" due to its soft rubber soles. By the early 1920s, Keds were worn by Olympic soccer players, national and international tennis champions, and college athletes. The brand introduced the Keds Triumph in 1926 and later the Kedettes, a line of washable high-heeled shoes for women, in 1938. Keds has maintained its popularity over the decades, with iconic figures like Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn wearing them, and continues to be a fashionable and comfortable choice, generating significant online sales, such as $908,741 in October 2024. Today, Keds is owned by Designer Brands, leveraging a robust direct-to-consumer omni-channel infrastructure.