The launch story of the brand might sound peculiar, but it came into being when Taran Chhabra and Amar Preet Singh, were going to Spain for a holiday. While packing their shoes, they realized that we were packing more than a couple of pairs for different purposes and occasions, which led to space and weight. So, they started looking for one pair that would suffice all their needs. When it didn’t happen, the duo themselves decided to produce comfortable footwear for all-day wear, but with the added trait of making them sustainable. Thus started the journey of Neeman’s.
Prior to his entrepreneurial venture, Taran has worked in the USA in business analytics and strategy for various companies. While Amar, a veteran in operations with over 15 years of experience, has worked with various start-ups. Started in the year 2018 by two shoe aficionados, Neeman’s is India’s first footwear brand that uses Natural, Renewable, Recycled and biodegradable fibres in its shoes. Thus, the driving force behind the brand is innovation.
Neeman’s uses natural and renewable materials that reduce carbon footprints. Furthermore, all the materials usedfrom the uppers, insoles, soles to packaging, are high quality and eco-friendly. It also fills the gap of one shoe for anytime, anywhere purpose.He leads the R&D and is the visionary behind launching some unique fibres in the Indian footwear industry that were unheard of and unexplored. “Research shows (according to Quantis, a sustainability consulting group) sneaker production accounts for 1.4% of the global greenhouse gas emissions. And let’s not forget that India is the 15th highest plastic polluter globally.
The challenges, Victories and the milestones
The challenge for any new brand entering the market is to garner attention, especially since marketplaces have become increasingly crowded and competitive. However, at Neeman’s, it was also about informing people about sustainable footwear and its importance. So marketing and sharing the story, USP, is essential during the initial months. Furthermore, as all companies dealt with the pandemic and the lockdown, so for us too, it was a speed breaker but, thankfully, not a roadblock. Victory for brand Neeman’s come in the form of customer’s acceptance. As a relatively new footwear brand trying to do something different by introducing revolutionary sustainable footwear, the customers have appreciated the comprehensive collection of shoes.
Since the launch, the brand has introduced many revolutionary fibres in the Indian market. The journey started with Merino Wool Sneakers made with Merino Wool that comes from Australian Sheep and is the finest and the softest wool and also apt for all year wear. People have valued the planet-friendly pairs made from natural yarns and materials that are harmful to the environment. This feedback indicates that the Indian customer is open to sustainable and comfortable footwear.
Future Plan
In addition, it is also looking at expanding categories and strengthening its commitment to the planet by being a sustainability champion through comprehensive research and development. Expanding offline presence and opening a flagship store in the future is also on the cards. Launching the international operations of Neeman’s is another aspect under consideration.
Vision: Creating Neeman’s, a brand that is synonymous with comfortable and sustainable shoes for all day wear. Being in the business of sustainable footwear, we took a revolutionary step of recycling the PET bottles into a shoe that offers supreme comfort and reduces carbon footprints. Every pair of ReLive Knits uses eight PET bottles . Neeman’s has so far recycled over one million PET bottles
