How Two Friends From Pune Innovated Shoes That Keep Up With Kids' Growing Feet

Two childhood friends, Satyajit Mittal and Krutika Lal, noticed a gap in the market that many had overlooked: children’s shoes rarely grow with the feet wearing them.

After diving into research and discovering that kids’ feet can shoot up three to four sizes in just a year, they launched Aretto in 2022, a Pune-based tech-forward footwear brand with a mission to reimagine children’s shoes. Their innovation? A shoe that expands up to three sizes, ensuring a perfect fit for rapidly growing feet.

What to know: Aretto, named after the Greek goddess of excellence, represents the founders’ vision of combining growth with quality. They kick-started their venture with an initial investment of $100,000, focusing on producing shoes that are not only adaptable and comfortable but also podiatrist-approved.

Their flagship product, Aretto Leaps, mirrors this ethos with its playful design and groundbreaking technology that condenses the industry’s sizing standards from fifteen sizes to just five.

With over 3,000 units sold and a monthly revenue surge to ₹12 lakh, Aretto is on a swift upward trajectory. Their shoes, catering to various age groups, embody sustainability and innovation, significantly reducing carbon footprints and changing consumer buying patterns.

Looking forward, Aretto has already secured $273,400 (₹2.26 crore) in seed funding and is eyeing an expansion in product range to accommodate children up to 11 years old. With the Indian footwear market booming and sustainable options increasingly sought after, Aretto’s journey is just beginning. They’re not just selling shoes; they’re crafting a future where every step a child takes is comfortable, sustainable, and perfectly fitted.

(The article is published under a mutual content partnership arrangement between The Free Press Journal and Benzinga)