Our mission
We believe in providing support for heirloom leather shoemaking, upholding respectful design and low environmental impact. For Mohinders, this means adhering to the following practices:
Regionality.
Transparency in sharing our collections' makers and place of origin, in Northern Karnataka; working with the people who have always made this style of shoe, (vs. appropriating designs for production elsewhere).
Transparency in sharing our collections' makers and place of origin, in Northern Karnataka; working with the people who have always made this style of shoe, (vs. appropriating designs for production elsewhere).
Heirloom.
Centralizing heirloom materials, designs and processes in our products – heirloom bag-tanned water buffalo leather, shoe designs that evolved in Athani, and techniques passed down to the third- and fourth-generation shoemakers who work with us.
Environmental impact.
We reduce our footprint through: dedication to traditionally-tanned water buffalo leather; fewer synthetics and more biodegradable materials; naturally-dyed colors; organic and recycled packaging choices; creating shoes that last and age beautifully.
Collaborative design.
Our shoes are designed to last for years, not just a season. This means: crepe rubber soles to protect footbed stitches and midsoles; lining leather and footbed cushion, for a custom fit that lasts; design choices that allow easily re-soling, extending your shoes’ life. We make re-soling easy with our own Re-Soling Program.
Master shoemakers in Athani, India
Mohinders works with ten different groups of master shoemakers, all cooperative members based in Athani. Most are families who come from generations of master shoemakers, and work in neighboring workshops near a shared cooperative office and meeting space.
