**This is not a sponsored post but an honest review from my experience with the brand and the product**
The older I get, the more I find myself willing to pay a premium for a comfortable pair of shoes – which are frustratingly hard to come by in Hong Kong. So, it was a relief when I finally tried on kicks from Hong Kong brand KIBO.
Hopefully, this review will help some of you out there who are literally suffering from the same problem.
Here are the pros and cons of the sustainable Hong Kong brand KIBO’s Guilt Free Kicks in Rose Fleur from their ‘The Pixie Print Limited Collection’ (size 37) after almost 6 months of wearing them on the regular.
Pros
1. Comfortable overall
Shoes have to be comfortable first and foremost – and KIBO’s kicks have taken me through hours of walking without pain in my feet.
The outsole is sturdy but not hard like a Converse, and the insole’s arch support and cork material seem to make the shoes both comfortable and breathable.
2. Comfortable for wide feet
KIBO’s Guilt Free Kicks fit snugly and don’t chafe my wide feet. I’ve owned and tried on a range of shoes, including sneakers, that don’t accommodate the width of my feet so finding these kicks was very satisfying.
3. Simple but unique design
I bought the ‘Rose Fleur’ print sneakers which adds a bit more colour to the standard KIBO shoe. The design is a simple rose with just enough colour to make it stand out – which made more than a handful of people take a second look and comment on how cute my pair were.
4. Sustainable shoes, responsible brand
According to their website, KIBO shoes are all made from recycled plastic and other sustainable materials, from the laces to the soles. On the product pages, you can see a detailed breakdown of what each component of the shoe is made from so you can understand why the company calls them ‘guilt-free’ kicks.
Go to their sustainability page (and other pages under the ‘Impact’ menu) and the individual product pages to find out more about their efforts.
Cons
1. Pricey compared to alternatives
At HK$1,280, the shoes in The Pixie Print Limited Collection aren’t cheap when compared to the average pair from large commercial brands. Even KIBO’s regular collection of sneakers without prints cost $1,060.
But given the pros of the KIBO shoes, I was happy to pay the premium, especially given that I’ve paid similar amounts before for shoes that were not satisfactory.
Scroll down to the ‘Buying Tips’ section of this article to find out how you can save on your KIBO kicks.
2. Thick main body of shoe
It may not matter too much where you live, but the thickness of the shoes may be an issue in Hong Kong – a city infamous for its humidity.
Now, I only bought the KIBO kicks in November so the jury is still out on how it’ll do during the summer months. But it fared well when I wore it on one of the more humid and warm days in April so my hopes are up for at least the cooler summer days.
Buying Tip
- KIBO shoes are also sold on the online shopping platform Zalora which may offer discounts on the products if they are doing a clearance sale or a platform-wide promotion for example. Check out the KIBO brand page on Zalora first to see if there are any discounts you can take advantage of before you make your first purchase.
- The cork insoles are also sold separately on their website if you need to buy a replacement.