Are Naot shoes worth the price?+
For people on their feet all day or who need real arch support, Naot tends to earn its keep. The footbeds are built from cork and natural rubber that break in to the shape of your foot, and the shoes are made to be resoled and re-footbedded rather than tossed. If you rotate them as everyday wear, the cost per wear works out gently.
Are Naot sandals good quality?+
Naot has a strong reputation for comfort-first construction: removable footbeds, supportive shaping, and durable leathers. The brand designs a new footwear line every year to keep up with trends, so the look stays current while the engineering stays consistent. As with any anatomical sandal, the right size and a short break-in period matter to getting the most from them.
How does Naot compare to Birkenstock?+
The comparison is no accident: when consultant Ami Bar-Nahor modernized the company in the late 1980s, he described aiming at "a sort of Israelization of Birkenstock." Like Birkenstock, Naot uses a contoured cork-based footbed, but it leans flexible where Birkenstock can feel firm, and the styling tends to read a touch more fashion-forward. Which suits you really comes down to your foot and how much give you like underfoot.
What is Naot's signature footbed made of?+
Naot's hallmark is its anatomical footbed, made from a flexible blend of cork, natural rubber, or leather that conforms to the wearer's foot. The footbeds are removable, so you can swap in your own custom orthotic insoles or replace a worn one. That replaceable, mold-to-your-foot construction is the heart of the brand's comfort claim.
Where is Naot made and where does it come from?+
Naot is an Israeli footwear maker based at Kibbutz Neot Mordechai. The factory opened in 1942 and originally produced work boots before evolving into the comfort shoes and sandals it is known for today. That kibbutz origin is woven into the brand's identity.
When was Naot founded?+
The factory opened in 1942 as a small kibbutz operation making work boots. Its transformation into a modern comfort-footwear brand came decades later, in the late 1980s, after a near-shutdown forced a rethink of both product and production. So while the name feels contemporary, the workshop behind it is well over eighty years old.
Who turned Naot into the brand it is today?+
In 1988, as cheap imports threatened the factory, consultant Ami Bar-Nahor was brought in and spent four years reinventing it for the health-conscious shoe buyer. He replaced the old inflexible biblical-sandal soles with a flexible cork, rubber, or leather footbed and added adjustable leather straps to accommodate foot swelling. His pivot is what saved and modernized the company.
Why do Naot styles feel more designed than typical comfort shoes?+
Part of Bar-Nahor's revival was hiring young designers from Jerusalem's Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design and Tel Aviv's Shenkar College to bring color and interest to sandals that had previously come mostly in beige, brown, and black. That injection of design-school talent is why the line balances orthopedic comfort with genuine style. It is comfort footwear that does not look apologetic.
Who owns Naot?+
In 2006, Shamrock Holdings, based in Burbank, California, paid US$31 million for a 66 percent stake in the enterprise. The brand remains rooted at Kibbutz Neot Mordechai in Israel even under that ownership. So design and manufacture stay tied to their Israeli home.
Can I use my own orthotics in Naot shoes?+
Yes. The footbeds are removable by design, so you can take them out and drop in your own custom orthotic insoles, or fit a standard replacement once the original wears down. That flexibility is one reason the brand appeals to people with specific foot needs. It also extends the working life of a pair.
Where can I buy Naot footwear?+
Naot exports about 80% of its production worldwide, with major markets including the United States, Canada, Germany, the UK, and Australia. In the US the brand has historically been distributed through Yaleet Inc. of Farmingdale, New York, so you will find it across comfort-footwear and department retailers as well as the brand's own channels. Trying a size in person helps, since anatomical fits reward precision.
How do I keep Naot shoes lasting?+
Because they are built to be repaired, the smartest care is to resole and replace worn footbeds rather than replace the whole shoe. Let leather pairs air out between wears, condition the uppers occasionally, and swap in a fresh footbed when the original flattens. Treated this way, a single pair can serve for years.
