Outgrowing one’s shoes is a common kids’, and their parents’, problem. Either you start with wearing oversized shoes, end up with small-sized ones, or the parents have to shell out more for the shoes to keep pace with their kids’ feet. Solving this problem using technology one tiny foot at a time is homegrown startup Aretto.
“We found out that one in three kids is wearing the wrong shoe size at any point in time; because feet grow but shoes don’t. While feet grow in smooth millimetric increments, shoe sizes increase in steps. This means that shoes fit perfectly only for a brief period. Kids start with wearing oversized shoes which they grow into and are replaced only when they become tight,” say co-founders Satyajit Mittal and Krutika Lal.
Having identified the issue, the duo allocated their bootstrapped resources “to unlocking the problem statement and developing a patented technology that enables shoes to grow as kids grow”. Hence, Aretto shoes grow with the kids’ feet size.
After launching last year, Aretto’s first product was Aretto Leaps, shoes that expand up to three sizes, “thus always giving the perfect fit”. Explaining their product, Mittal and Lal say, “While conventional shoe sizing jumps 7-8 mm for every size, Aretto Leaps grow millimetrically with the child’s feet up to 18 mm. We cover a spectrum of three sizes in one pair, thereby reducing inventory, moulds, and size-based returns, which is a very high category barrier. Hence, while conventional kids’ shoes are shrunk-down versions of adult shoes, Aretto Leaps are specifically designed for kids.”
Speaking of the technology used, the founders explain, “The Aretto Leaps shoe utilises three advanced technologies: Supergrooves, Infiknit, and Squishy foam. The Supergrooves are Y-grooves built into the sole that blooms open to fit the natural shape of growing feet. The sole is inspired by a blooming flower, with sole flaps as the petals which move to accommodate all unique foot shapes at different growth stages. The sole flap height varies to address varying degrees of growth in length and in width.”
Similarly, Infiknit “is a stretchable and highly durable fabric that our shoe uppers are fashioned from. The breathable material has 360° flexibility and comfortably accommodates the growing feet by stretching up to three sizes. Lastly, the Squishy foam is a jelly-soft memory foam insole that provides exceptional comfort and padding to little feet, reduces the pressure that gets built in, and lets kids go sockless altogether,” they add.
For this technology allowing shoes to increase by three sizes, the company has been granted a utility patent by the Patent Office, Government of India.
The company caters to kids from 18 months to 8 years of age. While Aretto Leaps is the flagship product, the total offerings fall into three categories: Wobbly Walkers for tiny toddlers aged 12 to 24 months, Tiny Racers for preschoolers aged 2 to 5 years, and Playground Champs for first-time school-goers aged 5 to 8 years.
While aiding kids’ foot health and being economically viable for their parents appear to be the two utilities of these stretchable shoes, the benefits expand further, as per Mittal.
“The primary impact we have created is reducing the number of SKUs by optimising the industry sizing benchmarks of 15 sizes to 5 sizes, each growing up to ~18mm, postponing obsolescence. This further reduces our CO2 footprint from 7.9 kg and at the same time restructures the buying behaviour of consumers,” he says.
For the company, its primary audience is millennial parents. Although it has gotten positive feedback from both kids and parents, the maximum demand is seen in tier-I cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune and Hyderabad. The shoes are priced in the range of Rs 2,199 to Rs 2,799.
Speaking about new offerings, the founders say: “We do have some interesting offerings lined up in the future. Our team is already in the R&D process for some upcoming fun projects.”
