By Neo Kolane
The owners of family business Leather Sole Works have moved the company up a gear by diversifying from the business of supplies to the manufacturing of shoes.
Leather Sole Works is a shoe clinic that started in in the early 90’s by supplying shoe accessories to other businesses who needed them.
The shoe clinic was founded by Andreas Adontsi and specialises in handcrafts and genuine leather shoes made by Basotho in Lesotho.
Leather Sole Works also repairs shoes and does leather colour restoration, polishing and shoe stretching.
It however decided to upgrade and was registered in 2016 when it started manufacturing.
In an interview with theReporter this week, Adontsi who is also the managing director of the business, said the inspiration to upgrade had always been there and it was only in 2016 that the actual manufacturing part kicked off.
Adontsi said the recent shoes which seem to be trending in the streets of Maseru are made to suit a persons’ preferences; a customers’ order is made, they are measured; they are tailor-made.
He explained that his team sat down and wondered how it could upgrade.
“We are leather enthusiasts so we felt the need to create unique products for people with exclusive taste.
“The vision of the whole company is to negate the narrative that Basotho cannot create.
“The growth was inspired by the vision of being a multi-purpose factory that manufactures shoes for people for a specific mood,” he said
Adontsi further explained that what stands out about Leather Sole Works is that it does not cut corners, its products are 100 percent genuine leather, with quality soles to match.
He said fact that the company’s shoes are custom made sets it apart from.
“We give the customer the chance to fuse their own taste on their shoes, for the people who are into colour, we give them the chance to choose whichever colour they continue.
“We want to make shoes for people who love shoes. We want our company brand to grow but afford people the chance to come and decide what they want,” he explained.
The shoes are sold under the brand of Leather Sole Works; the company is hoping to venture into sneakers soon.
Leather Sole Works locally outsources sheep skin from Masianokeng, and raw materials abroad; it does not restrict itself to South Africa.
Leather Sole Works which was formerly based in Basotho Enterprise Development Corporation Sebaboleng room 37 has now moved to Metcash room 152.
The standard price for men’s flats is M1 500 while boots go at M1 800.
For ladies the shoes cost between M600 and M1 800 based on the design.
Sibusiso Adontsi can be contacted on +266 5328 5293 or +266 6316 0483
