Shriyans Bhandari and Ramesh Dhami started Green Sole in December 2013 to upcycle their old shoes while helping underprivileged kids get comfortable footwear.

The duo got the idea from their own experience.

They often go through multiple pairs of shoes every year due to their careers as professional athletes.

One day, when Ramesh turned one of his old pairs of shoes into slippers, the duo figured they could do this with all their pairs!

This was their wake-up call to start an organisation called GreenSole in December 2013 that would refurbish old footwear into new trendy ones.

“Initially, we thought we would just reuse those shoes and make footwear for personal use,” says Shriyans.

However the idea grew into a social business venture, and the duo decided to help underprivileged children by providing them with refurbished shoes.

The discarded shoes are washed and disassembled to separate the soles and uppers and cut according to the size required.

“Instead of melting the shoes as many shoe manufacturers do, we refurbish them so there is minimal carbon emission,” says Shriyans.

The duo were even applauded by the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India Ahmedabad for their sustainable design.

“It is a great feeling to see the children wearing those slippers, running and playing,” Shriyans adds.

What started with the athletes deciding to do good, has to date upcycled over 10 lakh old shoes and donated over 4 lakh footwear.