What CARIUMA does

CARIUMA is a direct-to-consumer sneaker brand founded in 2018 that designs and sells casual footwear constructed from natural and upcycled materials. The company positions itself in the sustainable fashion segment, with products starting at $89 per pair, targeting eco-conscious consumers seeking minimalist, comfortable footwear — including a noted use case for wider feet — as well as skate-shoe enthusiasts seeking a more refined alternative to traditional skate sneakers. Its go-to-market is almost entirely direct via its own e-commerce storefront (cariuma.com), supplemented by heavy reliance on editorial PR and affiliate-driven buying guides in lifestyle, fashion, and sneaker publications such as Rolling Stone, Reviewed, and Brobible.

The company's core product differentiator is the substitution of upcycled waste materials and other unexpected sustainable inputs for conventional sneaker materials, framed as a cost-efficient and domain-specialized material innovation rather than a deep-technology platform. The firm has built brand recognition through viral consumer interest and recurring editorial co-placement alongside premium sustainable peers including Allbirds and Veja. Singapore-headquartered and led by co-founders David Python (CEO) and Fernando Porto (CCO), CARIUMA has raised approximately $29.5 million in cumulative disclosed funding, with the largest round being a $16.5 million East Ventures-led raise in October 2022. The business is classified as a private, for-profit company with 51-100 employees.

Operationally, the company is currently in a constrained posture: its website has ceased accepting new orders and is operating in a support-only mode for existing customers (exchanges, returns, gift card redemption), introducing material uncertainty about whether this is a temporary fulfillment issue, a strategic pause, or a more durable retrenchment. The input data does not contain any direct AI/ML capabilities, enterprise customers, patents, certifications, or disclosed financials.

Name

CARIUMA

Website

https://cariuma.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CARIUMA is a Singapore-headquartered, direct-to-consumer sneaker brand founded in 2018 that designs casual footwear from natural and upcycled materials, selling primarily through its own e-commerce site to eco-conscious consumers seeking minimalist, sustainable sneakers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Footwear / Sneakers

NAICS

Shoe Retailers (458210), Footwear Manufacturing (3162), Footwear Manufacturing (31621)

SIC

Footwear, (No Rubber) (3140), Retail-Shoe Stores (5661), Retail-Nonstore Retailers (5960)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Footwear (CRAAACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Casual & Lifestyle Footwear (CRAAACAB), Casual & Lifestyle Footwear Retail (CRAAADAB)

Keywords

• Sustainable footwear
• Eco-friendly sneakers
• Upcycled material shoes
• Direct-to-consumer sneakers
• Minimalist skate sneakers

Headquarters

HQ city

Rio

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Direct Sneaker Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of sustainable sneakers at price points starting at $89

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CARIUMA is a direct-to-consumer sneaker brand that designs and sells sustainable footwear made from natural and upcycled materials. Its product line centers on minimalist, eco-friendly sneakers—including skate-style silhouettes—built for everyday wear, with comfort for wide feet and a refined aesthetic positioned as an alternative to traditional skate shoes. Sneakers are sold primarily through the company's own e-commerce site starting at $89 per pair.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sustainable Sneakers (Direct-to-Consumer Line) Direct-to-consumer line of minimalist sneakers made from natural and upcycled materials, designed for everyday wear and comfort, including for wide feet. Sold to individual consumers through the company's owned e-commerce site starting at $89 per pair.
• Skate-Style Sustainable Sneakers Skate-style sneakers constructed from sustainable and upcycled materials, positioned as a more refined, minimalist alternative to traditional skate shoes for individual consumers seeking mature aesthetics.

Quantifiable outcome

• Viral product success driving consumer interest

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Allbirds: Direct competitor: a D2C sustainable sneaker brand using natural materials (wool, eucalyptus, sugarcane). Highly comparable business model, target customer, and category; explicitly mentioned alongside Cariuma in Rolling Stone sustainable sneaker guides.
• Veja: Direct competitor: French sustainable sneaker brand using organic cotton, wild rubber, and recycled materials. Closely aligned on eco-credentials, minimalist aesthetics, and D2C plus wholesale distribution. Featured alongside Cariuma in editorial buying guides.
• Saola: Direct competitor: sustainable sneaker brand using recycled plastics and natural materials with minimalist styling. Comparable materials innovation, target eco-conscious customer, and price points.
• Atoms: Direct competitor: minimalist sneaker brand focused on comfort and fit. Featured alongside Cariuma in Rolling Stone sustainable sneaker buying guides, indicating overlapping editorial positioning and target consumer.
• Thousand Fell: Direct competitor: a D2C sustainable sneaker brand emphasizing recyclable and circular-lifecycle footwear. Highly comparable product positioning, materials narrative, and D2C-first go-to-market approach.

Emerging players

• Greensole: Emerging peer: named alongside Cariuma as a key player in the global upcycled footwear market. Comparable sustainability narrative focused on footwear lifecycle and recycled/upcycled materials.
• Thaely Private Limited: Emerging peer: named alongside Cariuma as a key player in the global upcycled footwear market. Direct overlap in upcycled-waste sneaker construction and D2C positioning.
• YY Nation: Emerging peer: sustainable sneaker brand also featured in Rolling Stone sustainable sneaker buying guides alongside Cariuma. Comparable category focus on eco-friendly footwear with a similar D2C-style approach.
• VAER: Emerging peer: explicitly named alongside Cariuma as a key player in the global upcycled footwear market. Direct overlap in upcycled-materials positioning and direct-to-consumer distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Asics Corporation: Broad incumbent: listed alongside Cariuma as a key player in the global upcycled footwear market. As a major athletic footwear incumbent with sustainability initiatives, Asics competes from scale, distribution, and R&D advantages.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cariuma

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors8 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CARIUMA