Friendly Shoes

Friendly Shoes

When I first created Never Grey, a space that celebrates style, independence, and living well despite physical challengesI knew that Friendly Shoes belonged right here. My journey with hemiplegia taught me just how difficult it is to find shoes that meet both functional and aesthetic needs. Footwear that accommodates an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) is rare. But Friendly Shoes delivers exactly what many of us struggle to find: shoes that open wide, fasten easily (even one-handed), and still look good.

Why Friendly Shoes belongs on Never Grey

• Truly adaptive design, not just a label Friendly Shoes is marketed as the UK’s first fully adaptive footwear brand.
  
  
• Their designs are informed by occupational therapy principles: every adult shoe can be eligible for VAT exemption.
  
  
• Above all, every style is built to be easy to put on and take off, with wide openings and adaptive fastenings.

For someone wearing an AFO, the barrier is not just the width of the shoe but also the ability to slide foot and brace in easily, and then secure the shoe without struggle. Friendly addresses this directly with wide-opening zips (down the side or around the back) that expose the entire interior of the shoe. I remember grappling with laces, tight collars, or shoes that simply refused to stretch and then the relief of a zip that lets me slip in and out, especially using only one hand.

Thoughtful engineering for orthotic compatibility.

Friendly Shoes are not just “roomy” they’re built to accommodate orthotics. Their uppers are lightweight and stretchable, their removable memory foam insoles allow extra depth when needed, and their soles are solid enough to be split by an orthotist if adjustment is required. The “Excursion” men’s model, for example, has a rear zipper with generous entry portals and dual density memory foam insoles.

This matters deeply. Many mainstream shoes either don’t have enough internal height or refuse to conform to the extra bulk of an AFO. With Friendly, the fact that you can remove insoles or exploit a deeper interior gives you flexibility not a constant fight.

A full product range that balances function and style

Friendly offers women’s, men’s, and children’s lines. Within these, there are extra-wide fits, different colour ways and patterns, and various silhouettes from sneakers to mid-top styles and zip-up boots.

Some favourite examples:

• Friendly Force:ultra-light with stretch mesh uppers and removable memory foam insoles, offering a comfortable everyday option.
  
  
• Excursion (Men’s & Women’s): deeper shoes with rear zips, smooth linings, and shock-absorbing flexibility.
  
  
• Voyage / Wider Fit: zip-accessible, with multiple removable insoles to adjust depth.
  
  
• Kid lines zip-up trainers with wide openings and designs that support children wearing orthotics.
  
  
• What’s more, the shoes come in appealing cosmetic choices prints, colour accents, sleek profiles so you're not forced to sacrifice style.

Resonance with Never Grey’s mission

Never Grey is about rejecting limitations and embracing possibility. Friendly Shoes embodies that: giving independence, dignity, and choice to people whose footwear options have been severely limited. When someone sees a pair of zippable, orthotic-friendly shoes that work.  it’s not just a product it’s empowerment.

In short: Friendly Shoes deserves its place on Never Grey because it meets the real, daily challenges of people like us. Its adaptive design is thoughtful and practical; its product line is broad yet specialized; and above all, it restores an experience many of us thought was lost: putting on shoes independently, comfortably, and confidently.