The Indian Footwear Industry

India, the land of milk and honey. A country that is home to approximately 1.3 billion people.

A country that is at the forefront of industrialization. Large amounts of resources are required to facilitate the same. India is the 2nd largest producer and consumer of footwear in the world, generating employment for over 2 Mn people. The current market size of the footwear industry is estimated to be at $ 10.6 Bn in 2019, estimated to grow to $ 15.5 Bn by 2024, registering a CAGR of 13 percent from 2018 to 2019.

But everything has a price attached to it. The unfortunate downside to this is rapid industrialization is the generation of waste. We would like to bring your attention to tyre waste in particular. India produces over 6% of the global tyre waste. It is estimated that every day in India 275,000 tyres are discarded. Conventionally discarded tyres undergo a process called pyrolysis, in which the tyers are burnt at high temperatures to yield low-grade oils, black carbon pigments, and steel. This process is a very ineffective way of dealing with tyre waste since it releases a lot of harmful gasses in the air.

We at Paaduks have come up with a novel way of upcycling not just the tyre waste but also myriad discarded industrial parts like conveyor belts and rubber mats by turning them into footwear. We do not skimp on the comfort of our footwear, your feet won’t feel like they paid the price for saving our planet. We also make use of other natural materials like cloth, handloom cotton, jute, etc. Not only do we use vegan raw materials but also make sure we upcycle different materials to make comfortable, beautiful, and stylish footwear for both men and women.

Right from corks to tyres, our shoes are eco-friendly, sustainable, comfortable, and affordable. 

What makes us stand apart is our conscious effort to better the environment, give quality products, and also support wage earners through constant deliverance of best quality products. Right from our raw materials to our beautiful finished goods, everything is completely Made In India. Supporting locally made products makes a huge difference not only to the environment but also provides employment opportunities to locals. 

We strongly believe that we must leave this beautiful planet a little better than how we found it for the generations to come. Our footwears are crafted by seasoned veterans of crafting footwear, the cobblers of Kurla, Mumbai. Sadly they are a marginalized community systematically deprived of a fair wage and compensation for their labor. Not all heroes wear capes because when you buy a Paaduks footwear you not only help the planet but also your fellow countrymen earn an honest day’s wage and respect they rightfully deserve.