KOCHI: There is a saying that one can learn a lot about a person just by looking at their shoes. So wearing a clean pair of shoes gives that necessary oomph and an identity to the wearer.
Though everyone loves to collect and own coveted pairs of kicks, not all know how to properly clean them. The solution: shoe laundry.
Globally, shoe laundry is commonplace, but it is only now that the same is picking up in Kochi. Shops are mushrooming in various areas, offering budget-friendly options. The average cost is Rs 200-500.
The Laundry Hub Kochi, a generic laundry store in Kakkanad, is now known for breathing life into tired and stained footwear too. Jithin P Antony, the owner of the store, started the service back in 2018.
“At that time, there was no such thing as shoe laundry service in the city. The customers mainly came here for dry cleaning their clothes. Post lockdown, we began receiving enquiries about shoe laundry. This was mainly because, during those times, people focused more on hygiene and even embraced the concept of reuse,” says Jithin. The shop also provides shoe recolouring and repainting.
Another entrepreneur who is quite new to the business is Krishna. Her newly-started shoe laundry service, ‘Hidha the Shoe Shiny’ operates from Padivattom and handles different materials.
The 26-year-old herself owns a good collection of shoes. “Since I’m a shoe hoarder myself, maintaining them was a priority. However, I couldn’t find any exclusive shoe laundry service in Kochi for a long time. The lack of options led me to start Hidha,” says Krishna.
Depending on the condition of the shoes, it usually takes one to three hours to clean them. “For leather shoes, we mainly do form washing using mild solutions. All the products used are organic,” she adds.
Another shop which provides shoe laundry service is K R Drycleaners at Thevara. “We mainly focus on running shoes. We get around 10 customers daily and we return the shoes on the same day,” says Prince Francis, owner of the shop.
The popularity of sneakers and the establishment of the fact that shoes define a person has boded well for this fledgling industry.