This D2C sneaker brand offers ‘never-seen-anywhere’ designs created by differently-abled youth

Even though the Government is pushing for initiatives to help the differently-abled section of society, social startups and brands like KobSook are helping the effort and setting a precedent when it comes to offering differently-abled youth a fair chance to unleash their creativity and turn it into something tangible — and, of course, earn an income.

Founded in 2021, KobSook is a bootstrapped D2C brand with a purpose.

What began as a dream to provide a platform for these talented artists to showcase their creativity—through digital art and hand-painted designs—has blossomed into a vibrant and quirky sneaker brand.

KobSook’s initiative aims to break conventional boundaries by empowering differently-abled young adults to develop skill sets in Photoshop, digital painting, photo editing, inventory management, packaging, and logistics.

Through these efforts, KobSook equips these individuals with the skills needed to thrive and contribute meaningfully to their communities and, of course, to KobSook.

They are making sneakers that are an exclusive fusion of art, fine quality vegan suede, and recyclable canvas, which cannot be found anywhere else. Every art on their canvas comes from their team of differently-abled young adults.

In this way, the brand is constantly churning a blend of art, fashion, and social inclusivity.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

Aziz Kapasi is a management graduate from Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management (IIT Bombay). He has spent two decades of his life in leadership roles across diversified industries like real estate and FMCG.

“I don't want to get into details - but I do know how much a family with a differently-abled child suffers. They're constantly worried about their future and if they'll make anything of their life. The social stigma around this community doesn't help, and the child often grows up isolated", says Aziz Kapasi in an exclusive interview with Startup Pedia.

He was always sure that he would one day take the plunge into entrepreneurship and build a brand with the mission of social inclusivity, generating respectable and sustainable employment for differently-abled individuals.

“I collaborated with AEMP, an Inclusive Accessible TechEd. It’s one of the leading technology-based learning platforms for differently-abled individuals. They are working towards making each student employable. From basic computer skills to editing, Photoshop, and videography - they're teaching them everything", explains the D2C startup founder.

Aziz decided to pick and recruit a few students from AEMP and use their skills to create a sneakers brand.

Initially, he thought about entering the realm of bags and t-shirts but soon dismissed the idea owing to heavy saturation and competition. 

“After studying the sneakers market, I realized that while it’s highly competitive, there was still an opportunity to create something unique. That’s when I decided to launch a brand offering exclusive art on every sneaker—designs that stand out, celebrating individuality and self-expression,” Aziz Kapasi adds.

KobSook started with a very clear vision - to offer supremely comfortable and exclusive art-based sneakers to customers while empowering differently-abled youth with employment opportunities.

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ROADBLOCKS

Aziz Kapasi is a first-generation entrepreneur. He started KoSook in 2021 but launched the products in the market in 2022 after ensuring that every quality parameter was adhered to.

The initial two years were full of struggles.

Aziz says, “From finding the right product-market fit, choosing the right vendors to building a capable team, it was a daunting journey. In the first year of the KobSook journey, I was a one-man army, handling everything.”

From finalizing the brand name to drafting business strategies and forming a small team, Aziz single-handedly managed everything. He would often work out of his friend's offices and sometimes from his own house.

“I had a limited amount of funds, and that was honestly the biggest challenge. To make matters worse, I made some costly mistakes like investing in the wrong team and working with people who turned out to be unethical vendors", adds the first-generation entrepreneur.

Another key area that required a lot of relentless work was training and developing the skill sets of his differently-abled team.

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KOBSOOK: WHERE SNEAKERS MEET SOCIAL CAUSE

KobSook sneakers are an exclusive fusion of art, fine quality vegan suede, and recyclable canvas, offering a refreshing alternative to mundane, everyday shoes. 

It’s a brand that combines creativity with the practicality of daily wear, offering something customers won’t find anywhere else.

At KobSook, the team of differently-abled youngsters is actually the bedrock upon which the brand stands. They are hired from various institutes across the country.

The process is extremely inclusive and mindful of their special needs and skill sets.

From transforming their imagination into stunning digital pixels or hand-painted artwork to bringing that vision to life in the form of one-of-a-kind sneakers, encapsulating it in a striking photoshoot, making it available on leading e-commerce platforms, and finally reaching out to the end customer  — this team of dedicated individuals adds value at every step.

As the D2C brand is Delhi-based, two team members who reside in the city currently attend and work from the office regularly, while three others are based out of Kolkata and Bengaluru. They’re free to work remotely under the guidance of a special educator or their parents.

While the social inclusivity factor stands tall, quality, design, and comfort have never been compromised.

Additionally, KobSook feels a deep sense of responsibility towards the economy. Every constituent of their product, from the sole to the thread connecting the fabric, is 100% made in India. 

In the process, their honest endeavour is generating employment, encouraging skill development and entrepreneurship, contributing to the larger national goal of Make in India, and offering quality products to their customers.

The D2C brand’s USP is in the designs which are almost like patents of the brand - because they’re intellectual property of the differently-abled team tirelessly working behind them. The shoes’ quality is impeccable and fits right into your foot without any friction.

The sneakers are available across e-commerce platforms like Myntra and Amazon. The brand also sells through its own website.

To date, the brand has sold 500+ odd pairs since its market launch. 

So far, they have achieved these sales purely through word-of-mouth recommendations, without any sort of marketing or online advertisements. 

Kobsook founder Aziz says, “Besides participating in offline exhibitions, we have done a few collaborations with cafes and gymnasiums where we display our sneakers and brand story for the customers to have a first-hand experience of the product.”

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The founder envisions creating a brand where every customer feels exclusive, walking away with a sense of joy.

LOOKING AHEAD

In Buddhism, KobSook means “a person with a happy heart and compassion.” That is exactly what the brand ethos is built on.

This is not a sob story of people worn down by life. Instead, it is a story of people who refuse to give up and sit holed up in their houses. KobSook represents happiness and empathy at all times.

The brand is seeking a community that is sensitized towards differently-abled people. By buying a sneaker from KobSook, customers become a part of a social movement that envisions providing equal employment opportunities to everyone, regardless of their challenges. 

Aziz and his team want to start the hashtag - #iamdifferentbutable. They’re hopeful it will create a community and drive larger participation of people who want to contribute and bring real change beyond just debating in their drawing rooms.

Aziz signs off by saying, “Who knows, KobSook and this hashtag might just inspire more young entrepreneurs and startups to come up with a scalable model that empowers the differently-abled section of our society. If this happens, I would sleep a little better knowing I made a ripple in this vast ocean.”

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