How to protect your kids from Wenaas shoes

A couple of months ago, the Guardian’s Chris Boardman visited Wenaes shoe factory in Germany, where workers were making a batch of a new type of shoe for the UK military.

They had been given a long list of safety requirements for the shoes, including wearing protective shoes with the soles and feet touching each other, wearing gloves and wearing protective clothing.

Wenaums factory had already taken steps to ensure the shoes were safe to wear, but that was the only precaution it had taken in the run-up to the manufacturing process. 

The shoes were made by a small company in the south-east of Germany, called Wenaamens Woesl, which produces shoes for the Royal Air Force and the German Navy.

In 2014, Wenaams factory opened its doors to the public for the first time, and the factory quickly became a destination for tourists and families looking to buy a pair of Wenaumens shoes. 

But after a year of manufacturing and testing, the company was forced to shut its doors, citing poor conditions and insufficient funding. 

Wenaums shoe factory closes as UK military supplies run out article Today, the Wenaumes factory has been shut down, with the closure of the UK’s only remaining factory in the country.

Weren’t Wenaamas shoes the most dangerous shoes you could buy in the world?

Wenaomens Woe Shoes has been making the shoes for decades, and although its safety has been repeatedly recognised by the world’s governments, its reputation as a dangerous product has not. 

In 2006, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified the shoes as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”, and in 2012, the World Health Organisation classified them as “probably carcinogenic”. 

But despite Wenaames strict safety measures, the shoes continue to be sold in stores, at petrol stations and on eBay. 

Is the UK government responsible for the problem?

The UK government has a lot of responsibility, and it’s clear that the government is not doing enough to protect its citizens.

The government spent £6.3m on research into the safety of the shoes last year, and more than half of that was spent on public outreach to help consumers make an informed choice. 

It’s also clear that governments are not doing as much as they should to educate people about the hazards of shoes, as well as educating manufacturers about the safety requirements. 

“The government should not be buying Wenaoms shoes,” said Emma Whitehead, founder of consumer group Footwear.

“There are more pressing concerns to address, like the rise in obesity and diabetes, as the shoes are widely worn. 

‘Wenaamers shoes’ is the UK version of Woe’s shoes.

What do you think?

Do you think it’s a dangerous shoe? 

Read more about the dangers of shoes