MEND – India-Inspired Sustainable Footwear

By BWA Envoy
February 01, 2022
2 Minutes Read

Uncomfortable footwear, sore feet, and not enough support are pain points everyone has suffered at least once in their lifetime. While most people just accept the adage 'Beauty is Pain', this young female entrepreneur is working to bridge the gap between design and comfort. After a year of research and planning, Gunjan Narayanan started Mend Studio (www.studiomend.com) in 2020.

What started as a mission to create functional, yet comfortable footwear has today grown into a cruelty-free brand that boasts 100% handcrafted artisanal footwear. Created by local craftsmen and cobblers, made with vegan leather using raw materials that are handpicked and locally sourced- handwoven Jute from Chennai, Mashru – a blend of cotton and silk from Gujarat and cane from Orissa. It's a perfect blend of design, inspired by the memories of her childhood travels, from the Goan sunrise to the palm trees of the South to even a ticket collector's wallet, along with comfort and durability, assured by their topically layered 8mm cushioning on top of a flat sole.

They understand not only the need of the people but also the planet. Coming Valentines Day, Mend Studio is planning to release its Handwoven Diaries collection from up-cycled leather scraps. Mend is a brand that wholeheartedly embraces the hidden hands of the finest artisans and craftspeople, acquiring traditional and sustainable fabrics/materials from skilled weavers, collaborating with hand-embroiders who bring their visions to life, and a small group of shoemakers who hand-cut and craft limited batches of their designs. As they grow, they hope to collaborate and support many more artisanal communities pan India.

Following this year's success, they are eventually planning to expand into closed footwear like Brogues and Loafers along with other accessories as well.