“Through the power of fashion you can make a positive impact on a person’s self esteem without making a negative impact on the environment.”
- Nimreet Grewal
How it all started..
My caring cousin Arvind has Down syndrome, and although he loves to be independent, tying his own shoes has always been a major hurdle
I believe your feet are your foundation.
Your footwear is where both fashion and self esteem begin. When you enter a room, your shoes lead the way and help form that crucial first impression.
For my cousin Arvind, putting on and tying his shoes became a pressing issue when he was invited to a wedding. We needed to purchase dress shoes that he could independently put on. I offered to help as best I could, but even locating stylish dress shoes that he could wear independently was virtually impossible.
There had to be a better way!
It became my personal project, which became a consuming passion.
For months I threw myself into researching the whole subject – shoe design, shoe materials, shoe manufacturing – everything. I knew immediately that I wanted a non-leather material. I cannot tolerate the idea of animals being part of this product's manufacturing, especially given that the toxic manufacturing methods harm the environment. I wanted this new shoe to be cruelty-free and eco-friendly, yet with all the benefits of leather.
Eventually, I found the perfect solution.
Of all things, it’s the skin of a cactus that grows in Mexico!
What’s more, this durable, flexible skin can be removed from the plant without harming it, and processing it into cactus vegan leather is done without harmful chemicals.
As you can see on our Kickstarter page, cactus vegan leather enables us to create wonderful designs with practicality and durability.
To make it easier to tie the shoes, we simply use Velcro®.
The big test came when Arvind first tried putting on his new, custom-made vegan shoes – and it all worked like a charm!
Inspired by this success, I founded Soneha.
At first, I focused on addressing challenges that people with low motor skills face. Now, that mission has expanded: to empower every body to express their free spirit through cruelty-free fashion.
I want to hear your suggestions!
I warmly invite you to reach out and contact me if you have any ideas for cruelty-free, eco-friendly products. I will do all I can to ensure they’re given careful consideration, and who knows? You may see your suggestions turned into reality!
Finally, a bit of background…
After graduating in Business Economics, I started my career at Ernst & Young. While that experience has served me well in developing critical thinking, I soon discovered that my heart was elsewhere. So I trained to become a behavioral therapist for kids with disabilities to help them express themselves better.
I also serve as a Board Member for the United Nations Association in the Bay Area, California where I advocate to local governments for action on climate and gender-equity issues.
Through Soneha, my intention is to make a positive impact on a person's self esteem without making a negative impact on the environment.
OUR
Values & Ethics
Personal Freedom
Empathy
Cruelty-Free products
Creative Problem Solving
Service to Others
Ethically-made
