soleRebels
soleRebels is an Ethiopian eco-friendly footwear brand founded in 2004 that designs and sells Fair Trade-certified shoes using traditional selate weaving and recycled materials directly to conscious consumers across 45+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersAddis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What soleRebels does
soleRebels is an eco-friendly footwear brand founded in 2004 by Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The company designs and manufactures men's and women's footwear using traditional Ethiopian craftsmanship techniques, particularly the selate weaving method, combined with locally sourced sustainable materials including recycled tires for soles and organic cotton for fabric components. soleRebels achieved the world's first Fair Trade footwear certification in 2009, establishing a pioneering ethical production standard.
The company operates a direct-to-consumer distribution model, selling finished footwear products through its own e-commerce platform to customers in 45-50+ countries globally. SoleRebels targets conscious consumers and sustainable fashion shoppers who prioritize verified ethical production, Fair Trade certification, and cultural authenticity, as well as premium fashion consumers attracted to the brand's heritage storytelling and celebrity-driven visibility (most notably a viral moment when Kim Kardashian was photographed wearing the brand in 2016). The company is founder-owned and bootstrapped, with 51-100 employees based at its Addis Ababa headquarters and manufacturing operations, and no disclosed venture capital or private equity backing.
soleRebels' business model relies on premium pricing tied to Fair Trade certification and ethical production verification, with revenue generated through one-time footwear transactions globally. The company claims to have created 100,000 supply chain job opportunities for Ethiopian artisans as a social and operational impact indicator. Notably, the company's website currently returns an 'unavailable' error, and no recent operating, financial, or product updates are documented in available sources, which materially complicates any assessment of current operational status.
soleRebels firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- soleRebels
- Website
- https://solerebels.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- soleRebels is an Ethiopian eco-friendly footwear brand founded in 2004 that designs and sells Fair Trade-certified shoes using traditional selate weaving and recycled materials directly to conscious consumers across 45+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
soleRebels industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Eco-Friendly Footwear
- NAICS
- Footwear Manufacturing (3162), Shoe Retailers (45821)
- SIC
- Footwear, (No Rubber) (3140)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Footwear (CRAAACAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Casual & Lifestyle Footwear (CRAAACAB), Casual & Fashion Footwear Manufacturing (Lifestyle/Streetwear) (IMAOAIAB)
Keywords
Where soleRebels is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Addis Ababa
- HQ country
- Ethiopia
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices2 records
Markets served
soleRebels business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Footwear Product Sales: SoleRebels generates revenue primarily through the sale of eco-friendly footwear products. As a consumer fashion brand, revenue is derived from one-time product transactions across their global retail footprint spanning 45 countries. The company operates through direct-to-consumer channels, selling finished footwear products manufactured using their ethical production methods.
- Direct Consumer Retail: Revenue is generated through direct sales to end consumers globally, with the company positioning itself as a premium sustainable fashion brand. Products carry Fair Trade certification and ethical production verification, allowing for premium pricing.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
soleRebels product offering
Product offeringCore offering
soleRebels designs and manufactures eco-friendly footwear for men and women using traditional Ethiopian craftsmanship techniques, particularly the selate weaving method. Products are made from locally sourced sustainable materials including recycled tires for soles and organic cotton for fabric components. The company sells finished footwear directly to consumers globally across more than 45 countries under a Fair Trade certified production model.
Product overview
SoleRebels is a footwear brand built on a single unified product line — eco-friendly shoes and footwear accessories crafted through traditional Ethiopian artisan techniques. The brand's core offering transforms cultural craftsmanship rooted in the selate weaving method into premium global products using locally sourced materials including recycled tires and organic cotton. As one of Africa's most recognized footwear brands, the company has grown from a small workshop to serve customers in over 50 countries, demonstrating how traditional Ethiopian techniques can achieve international quality standards and ethical production verification.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- SoleRebels Footwear
Quantifiable outcome
- Reached 45 countries globally as a fashion brand
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use soleRebels
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
soleRebels technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
soleRebels partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
soleRebels competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
soleRebels social profiles
Digital presencesoleRebels financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
soleRebels leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
soleRebels funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
soleRebels M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about soleRebels
What does soleRebels do?
soleRebels designs and manufactures eco-friendly footwear for men and women using traditional Ethiopian craftsmanship techniques, particularly the selate weaving method. Products are made from locally sourced sustainable materials including recycled tires for soles and organic cotton for fabric components. The company sells finished footwear directly to consumers globally across more than 45 countries under a Fair Trade certified production model.
Is soleRebels a public or private company?
soleRebels is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was soleRebels founded?
soleRebels was founded in 2004. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is soleRebels based?
soleRebels is headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in the Africa region.
How does soleRebels make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Footwear Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are direct Consumer Retail.
Does soleRebels have an API?
No public API is recorded for soleRebels.
What industry is soleRebels in?
soleRebels's product category is Eco-Friendly Footwear. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAACAH, Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Footwear, with a secondary code of CRAAACAB, Casual & Lifestyle Footwear. Its NAICS code is 3162 and its SIC code is 3140.