Soles4Souls

What Soles4Souls does

Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2006 and headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, that operates a vertically integrated footwear and apparel circularity platform spanning donation collection, sorting, refurbishment, redistribution, and responsible end-of-life solutions. The organization runs four core programs: 4Relief distributes new shoes and clothing to disaster survivors and people rebuilding after homelessness or domestic violence; 4Opportunity equips micro-entrepreneurs in developing countries with donated inventory to build sustainable small businesses; 4EveryKid partners with US schools (via McKinney-Vento Homeless Education programs) to provide new athletic shoes to children experiencing homelessness; and Solutions4Good offers brand and retailer customers a fee-for-service circularity stack including sorting, grading, recommerce, repurposing, repairing, and ESG compliance reporting.

Revenue and support come from five streams: individual monetary and in-kind donations, corporate brand partnerships (with Adidas, Foot Locker, Nike, DSW, Caleres, Under Armour, VF Corporation, Thirdlove, Bombas, Bealls, and others), e-commerce merchandise sales ($9.99–$50 SKUs), corporate cause-marketing campaigns (round-up, BOGO, employee matching), and institutional grants. Distribution operates through 40+ US warehouse and distribution facilities plus international sites in Canada, the UK (Kidderminster), the Netherlands (Arnhem, via the March 2026 acquisition of Erren Recondition), and Singapore. Solutions4Good's commercial circularity services are positioned to capture demand from EU/UK greenwashing regulation and emerging US Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, with Erren Recondition providing professional cleaning, refurbishment, and mold remediation capabilities that move the organization beyond redistribution into fee-for-service product life-extension.

Soles4Souls is governed by an independent board, holds Charity Navigator 4-star and Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency ratings, and operates with 51–100 employees. Since 2006 it has distributed more than 83.1 million pairs of shoes and pieces of clothing, with annual programs including STEP UP monthly giving ($20/$60/$100 tiers), Back2School, Give Joy, and the Race4EveryKid virtual movement challenge. The March 2026 Erren Recondition acquisition marks the first major M&A in the organization's history and a strategic pivot from purely organic distribution into owning European reconditioning IP and infrastructure.

Name

Soles4Souls

Legal name

Soles4Souls

Website

https://soles4souls.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2006 that collects, sorts, refurbishes, and redistributes donated footwear and apparel to disaster survivors, micro-entrepreneurs in developing countries, and US children experiencing homelessness, while offering brand and retailer circularity services through its Solutions4Good platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Footwear Redistribution

NAICS

Footwear and Leather Goods Repair (811430), Shoe Retailers (458210), Footwear Merchant Wholesalers (42434)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Retail-Shoe Stores (5661), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)

akta.pro primary industry

Footwear Repair, Refurbishment & Remanufacturing (IMAOAIAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Footwear (CRAAACAH)

Keywords

• Nonprofit shoe donation
• Footwear circular solutions
• Micro-enterprise development
• Corporate brand partnerships
• Clothing redistribution services

Headquarters

HQ city

Old Hickory

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations (Shoes and Clothing): Individuals donate new or gently used shoes and clothing which are processed and redistributed. Individual monetary donations support program operations.
2. Corporate Brand Partnerships: Footwear and apparel brands and retailers donate excess inventory, returns, and samples. Partners receive ESG reporting, sustainability metrics, and compliance documentation.
3. E-commerce Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling branded merchandise including apparel, accessories, books, collection boxes, and thank you notes.
4. Corporate Cause Marketing: Companies engage through round-up campaigns, buy one give one programs, and employee matching programs.
5. Institutional Grants: Foundation and government funding for programs including 4Opportunity, 4Relief, 4EveryKid, and Solutions4Good operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that collects donated new and gently used shoes and clothing, then redistributes them through international micro-enterprise programs (4Opportunity), domestic disaster and hardship relief (4Relief), and programs providing new athletic shoes to children experiencing homelessness (4EveryKid). It also operates Solutions4Good, a circular economy platform serving footwear and apparel brands and retailers with sorting, grading, recommerce, repurposing, repairing, refurbishment, and responsible end-of-life solutions, supplemented by merchandise e-commerce sales and monthly giving subscriptions.

Product overview

Soles4Souls operates as a nonprofit organization offering a suite of interconnected programs centered on footwear and apparel circularity. The core portfolio includes Solutions4Good (brand partnership and circular solutions platform), 4Opportunity (micro-entrepreneurship abroad), 4Relief (disaster/hardship response), and 4EveryKid (new shoes for homeless children). The recently acquired Erren Recondition extends capabilities into professional footwear/apparel refurbishment and remediation services. Supporting these programs are retail merchandise sales, community shoe drives, monthly giving (STEP UP), and seasonal campaigns (Back2School, Give Joy, Race4EveryKid).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 4Relief: Program providing new shoes and clothing to people facing hardship—from survivors of natural disasters to those rebuilding their lives after homelessness or domestic violence
• 4Opportunity
• 4EveryKid
• Solutions4Good
• Sole Society

Products and services

• Solutions4Good Circular economy platform for footwear and apparel brands and retailers providing end-of-life product management: sorting, grading, recommerce, repurposing, repairing, refurbishment, and responsible disposal, with ESG reporting, sustainability metrics, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) compliance documentation.
• 4EveryKid Charitable program providing brand-new athletic shoes to children experiencing homelessness through partnerships with US schools and community organizations using McKinney-Vento/Homeless Education program referrals; removes barriers to school participation, sports, and positive development outcomes.
• 4Relief Charitable program providing new shoes and clothing at no cost to survivors of natural disasters, people rebuilding lives after homelessness, and survivors of domestic violence.
• 4Opportunity International micro-enterprise program equipping entrepreneurs in low-income countries with donated shoes and clothing to create sustainable small businesses that lift families out of poverty and drive community growth.
• Erren Recondition European footwear and apparel reconditioning service acquired by Soles4Souls in March 2026; provides cleaning, refurbishment, and mold remediation services to extend product life. Headquartered in Arnhem, Netherlands, with 136 years of operational history.
• Soles4Souls Merchandise Shop Online retail store selling Soles4Souls branded merchandise including apparel (hoodies, t-shirts, sweatpants), accessories (hats, water bottles, totes, bracelets), stationery (thank you notes), collection boxes, and books about the organization's mission; powered by Lightspeed e-commerce platform.
• Shoe Drive Program Community engagement program enabling individuals, faith-based organizations, schools, civic groups, and businesses to host shoe drives using Soles4Souls collection boxes to gather new or gently used shoes and clothing for redistribution.
• STEP UP Monthly Giving Recurring monthly donation program providing new athletic shoes to children experiencing homelessness through the 4EveryKid program, available at $20, $60, or $100 monthly tiers; 20,000+ kids supported through this program.
• Sneaker GiveBack Kit California pilot program offering residents a kit for shipping new or gently used sneakers back to Soles4Souls for processing; launched 2025 and currently sold out due to high demand.

Quantifiable outcome

• 83.1 million pairs of donated shoes and clothing diverted from landfills
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Kids Dental DayminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 March 2026Community partner for 5th annual Kids Dental Day event on July 10, 2026 at First Horizon Park in Nashville. Soles4Souls adds shoes and socks to resources distributed at the event alongside Delta Dental of Tennessee and Nashville Sounds.
• Delta Dental of TennesseeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 March 2026Host of annual Kids Dental Day event, partnering with Soles4Souls to provide dental screenings, education, and shoes/socks to children in Middle Tennessee.
• Nashville SoundsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 March 2026Nashville baseball team hosting Kids Dental Day event at First Horizon Park, providing venue and community engagement.
• Erren ReconditioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 March 2026European footwear and apparel reconditioning company acquired in March 2026. Founded in 1888 (136 years old), headquartered in Arnhem, Netherlands. Enables Soles4Souls to offer comprehensive circularity solutions including cleaning, refurbishment, and remediation services. Peter Erren continues to oversee operations.
• DSW FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDSW Foundation is a brand partner that provides excess inventory donations and supports Soles4Souls' mission of creating opportunity through shoes and clothing.
• CalerescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCaleres is a footwear company brand partner contributing product donations and circularity solutions.
• Foot LockercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFoot Locker serves as a retail brand partner providing excess inventory and donations.
• AdidascoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAdidas is a global brand partner contributing footwear donations and sustainability initiatives.
• ThirdlovecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThirdlove contributes apparel donations as a brand partner.
• Under ArmourcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerUnder Armour is a brand partner providing apparel and footwear donations.
• BombascoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBombas contributes donations as a brand partner focused on socks and apparel.
• VoyacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVoya serves as a brand partner supporting Soles4Souls programs.
• BeallscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBealls is a retail brand partner providing excess inventory donations.
• British Footwear AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to promote circularity and help brands and retailers in the UK adopt more sustainable practices through Soles4Souls' programs.
• Million Lighting Co. Pte LtdminorOthersSingapore-based storage partner operating the Asia warehouse location at 203 Kallang Bahru, Level 1, Singapore 339340. Contact: Jean Zhou, +65 6805 2104.
• Running LabminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal running store in Brighton partnering with Soles4Souls to collect and redistribute gently used footwear.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Patagonia Worn Wear: Patagonia-owned circularity program for trade-in, repair, and resale of used apparel. Comparable to Soles4Souls' Solutions4Good + Erren reconditioning model in spirit, though operated by an apparel brand rather than as a third-party platform.
• The Renewal Workshop: For-profit circularity partner for apparel brands offering take-back, cleaning, repair, and resale services. Comparable to Soles4Souls' Solutions4Good platform and Erren Recondition business in providing brand-facing refurbishment and recommerce infrastructure.

Direct peers

• Bombas: Apparel/footwear (sock-focused) company with a one-for-one donation model and formal nonprofit partnership for distributions. Directly comparable to Soles4Souls on the brand-donation-and-redistribution mechanic and on giving metrics published to consumers.
• Salvation Army: International nonprofit combining thrift retail, disaster relief (overlapping with Soles4Souls' 4Relief), and community support programs. Comparable to Soles4Souls in donation-driven redistribution, disaster response, and secondhand retail revenue.
• TOMS: For-profit footwear brand built on a 'one for one' donation model that originated the modern shoe-giving category. Highly comparable to Soles4Souls' 4EveryKid mission in terms of consumer-facing shoe donation, though TOMS distributes via retail sales rather than a nonprofit donation pipeline.
• Matthew 25: Ministries: Cincinnati-based humanitarian aid nonprofit that processes and redistributes donated goods (clothing, shoes, household items) domestically and internationally. Directly comparable to Soles4Souls on in-kind donation processing, sorting, and global distribution to people in need.
• Goodwill Industries International: Large US nonprofit network that collects donated goods, operates thrift retail, and funds job-training and community programs. Closely comparable to Soles4Souls' reuse-and-redistribute model with a social-mission overlay, though Goodwill is broader in scope and not footwear-specific.
• Habitat for Humanity ReStores: Nonprofit home-improvement reuse retail chain operated by Habitat for Humanity, similar in model to Soles4Souls' merchandise shop: accepting donated goods, reselling them, and funding mission programs. Comparable mission-retail and donation-pipeline mechanics.

Emerging players

• Trove (now Arctic Wolf-related brand-take-back platform): Technology platform powering brand resale, trade-in, and take-back programs for apparel and footwear brands. Overlaps with Solutions4Good's brand-facing recommerce and end-of-life services, but positioned as a software-led for-profit competitor.
• Recurate: Tech-enabled recommerce and take-back platform for fashion brands, enabling peer-to-peer resale and circularity programs. Comparable to Soles4Souls' Solutions4Good brand-partnership offering from a for-profit, technology-first angle.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Soles4Souls
• Facebookfacebook.com/GiveShoes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/soles4souls-inc.

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Soles4Souls