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:
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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).
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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.
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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.
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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.
Michael, Founder + Peddler
Corporate lawyer-turned-shoe-peddler, Michael's been running Mohinders since 2012, all while trying to convince his wife and two daughters to join him on as many spontaneous adventures as possible.
Kay Gehshan, Chief Operations + Creative Officer
Kay is the Chief Operations & Creative Officer at Mohinders. She's an organizational expert who loves to tackle new projects. She enjoys maximizing her time off-screen by going on long hikes along the coast with her Basenji, taking extended camping trips, and heightening her growing fascination with hummingbirds. Kay's background lies in design and outdoor retail, which we find quintessential for all things Mohinders.
Cameron Archer, Creative + Marketing Director
Cameron is a creative and marketing director, artist, jewelry designer, human + dog mom, and surfer. She brings a depth of wisdom from running her own small business, world travels, and expert-level snack curation—which we take very seriously.
Noelle Walsh, Customer Experience
Noelle handles the customer experience here, at Mohinders. A Mom, avid camper and artist, she is passionate about sustainability and exploring everything – from far-flung campsites to different creative mediums. Her experience comes from running her own metalsmithing business and sustainable general store in Sacramento, CA. When not helping you out with all things Mohinders, she enjoys hanging out with her son and dogs in their xeriscape home garden, eating her sister's home cooking, and visiting the California coast.
Kristen Morabito, Brand Advisor
Kristen is a creative director, artist, and leather worker. She loves storytelling, painting, and getting in the ocean at the (usually foggy) beach town where she lives in northern California.
Abbas S.Lakdawala, India Operations + Production
Abbas is a third-generation shoe peddler and runs his own family footwear business on Mumbai’s Colaba Causeway. He's a shoe designer, expert on local candies of Athani, and runs our India operations (he also locates the best dosa breakfasts when we're in town.)
