GreenSole Foundation originated from a simple observation by two athletes, Shriyans Bhandari and Ramesh Dhami. As long-distance runners, they replaced multiple pairs of shoes every year. The uppers would tear, yet the soles remained intact even after hundreds of kilometres. In 2013, this prompted a transformative question: Can these soles be reused instead of discarded?
This insight laid the foundation for GreenSole, today a pioneering force in India’s circular economy movement.
Mission, Vision and the Three-Fold Impact
GreenSole’s mission is to upcycle discarded footwear and clothing into durable products—primarily slippers—and donate them to underserved communities. Their approach creates three-fold impact:
• Social: Providing essential footwear to underprivileged children.
• Environmental: Reducing landfill waste and manufacturing emissions.
• Economic: Creating employment through refurbishment units.
Their long-term vision aims to ensure access to basic footwear for all, powered by zero-carbon upcycling systems and nationwide sustainability awareness.
The Global Problem They Address
Footwear waste is a silent but significant environmental challenge. Around 35 crore pairs of shoes are discarded globally each year. Meanwhile, the WHO reports that 1.5 billion people suffer from preventable foot-related diseases due to lack of proper footwear. Producing a new pair requires nearly 360 manufacturing steps, contributing heavily to carbon emissions. GreenSole’s upcycling model provides a practical, scalable alternative.
Operations and Upcycling Process
GreenSole conducts large-scale collection drives through schools, corporates, and community partners, supported by drop-boxes in major cities.
The refurbishment process involves washing, disinfecting, separating uppers from soles, remolding, and restoring them using recycled material. About 80% of each shoe is reused.
Beyond slippers, they upcycle clothing and flex banners into bags, mats, and essential accessories for distribution across rural regions.
Scale, Reach and Community Empowerment
GreenSole has impacted more than 8,00,000 people and recycles 2–3 lakh pairs annually. The organisation’s skill centres train and employ women and underserved communities, converting waste into sustainable livelihoods.
Innovation and Recognition
With industrial design patents, widespread media coverage, and a Forbes 30 Under 30 honour for co-founder Shriyans Bhandari, GreenSole stands as one of India’s most influential social-impact innovators proving how a simple idea can evolve into a nationwide sustainability model.
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