Wildling Shoes: A Journey of Sustainability, Innovation, and Employee Empowerment
The footwear industry is often associated with mass production, waste, and unsustainable practices—but Wildling Shoes is proving there’s a better way. This German-based company has disrupted the industry with its commitment to sustainability, ethical production, and self-managed teams. From using organic and regenerative materials to embracing a remote-first, decentralized structure, Wildling Shoes isn’t just designing comfortable, barefoot-inspired footwear—it’s pioneering a new way of running a company.
This blog post is part of 50+ case studies of self-managing organizations we created for the 2024 inaugural ZeroDX awards. These organizations embody the principles of RenDanHeYi in their work structures:
Zero Distance to customer: Decision what to build is based on insights from the marketplace
Autonomy: Small teams with full decision-making autonomy enable speed in execution
Shared Rewards: Everyone in the micro-enterprise participates in its financial success.
Introducing Wildling Shoes
Wildling Shoes, founded in 2015 by Anna and Ran Yona, is a standout in the sustainable footwear industry. With a team of approximately 140 employees, the company has rapidly grown since its inception.
The Yonis' inspiration came from the challenge of finding suitable footwear for their children, leading to the creation of shoes that mimic the feeling of walking barefoot. Wildling Shoes emphasizes minimalistic design and sustainable materials such as organic cotton, wool, and hemp. The company's mission is clear: to revolutionize the footwear industry with a commitment to sustainability, ethical production, and comfort.
Wildling Shoes is a prime example of RenDanHeYi in Germany. With its decentralized, remote-first organizational structure, its focus on the end user, and its efforts in reinventing supplier relationships to deliver a truly sustainable supply chain, Wildling Shoes is an inspiration for every manufacturing company.
A Remote-First, Decentralized Company Structure
Wildling Shoes follows a self-managed, decentralized model, which is particularly innovative in the manufacturing sector.
Initially, this structure posed challenges, particularly in communication and collaboration. To address these issues, Wildling adopted the OKR (Objectives and Key Results) framework, which aligns individual goals with the company's objectives. This method reduces the need for micromanagement and fosters a high degree of autonomy among employees. The organization emphasizes flexibility and trust, encouraging employees to manage their work independently while staying connected through regular virtual meetings and collaboration tools.
Sustainability: A Regenerative Approach
Sustainability isn’t just a marketing slogan for Wildling Shoes—it’s embedded into every decision. The company is committed to:
- Eco-friendly materials – Using organic, biodegradable, and recycled fabrics.
- Circular economy principles – Encouraging customers to repair rather than replace their shoes.
- Sustainable supply chains – Partnering with ethical suppliers to reduce waste and environmental impact.
One standout initiative is the Impact Collective, launched in 2022. This collaborative project with suppliers in Portugal fosters knowledge-sharing, problem-solving, and innovation in sustainability. Rather than enforcing top-down rules, Wildling co-creates solutions with its partners, ensuring mutual benefit and long-term impact.
Stakeholder Engagement: True Partnerships Over Transactions
Wildling Shoes goes beyond just being eco-friendly—it’s redefining business relationships with a focus on transparency and collaboration.
- Customers as partners – Wildling actively involves buyers in the conversation around sustainability.
- Supplier relationships built on trust – Long-term partnerships ensure ethical and sustainable sourcing.
- Radical transparency – The company openly shares its successes, failures, and ongoing experiments.
This holistic approach to stakeholder engagement ensures that sustainability efforts aren’t just corporate buzzwords, but genuine commitments that drive real change.
Internal Culture and Employee Well-being
Wildling Shoes places a high priority on the well-being of its employees, with the majority of the team working remotely from all over Germany.
The company offers flexible work schedules, which is especially beneficial for working parents. This remote-first approach is supported by a culture of trust and autonomy, where employees are encouraged to manage their workloads independently and take breaks as needed to avoid burnout.
Wildling also promotes personal development by allowing employees to engage in tasks that align with their strengths and interests.
This supportive environment leads to high levels of job satisfaction and employee engagement, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.
Conclusion
Wildling Shoes is more than a sustainable footwear brand—it’s a radical experiment in ethical business, self-management, and regenerative supply chains. With a decentralized team, a sustainability-first approach, and a culture of autonomy, the company sets a new benchmark for what modern businesses can achieve. For companies looking to reduce environmental impact, build self-managing teams, and create real stakeholder value, Wildling Shoes is an inspiring example of what’s possible.
