A small workshop with a few employees has grown into one of the leading children’s shoe brands in Hungary. ‘Today, as in the past,’ says Mihály Tribol, Sales Director Agas Footwear Kft., ’all our shoes start with a hand-carved wooden last and, with the help of advanced stitching techniques, ensure a perfect gait for their future owners. Every step of the child is, in fact, our responsibility. Furthermore, thanks to our iconic 3D STITCH design, we use 70% less glue during production, thus also protecting our health without compromising on comfort and quality. On these principles, we created the D.D.STEP brand. All production technology is designed and developed entirely in-house, as are design and technical development. The wide variety of footwear makes it possible to meet the changing needs of customers.

How has the children’s shoe market changed in Hungary and in your markets?

‘In recent years, parents have paid more and more attention to contribution on enviromental protection, and social responsible products. We are working to create “ZERO” carbon footprint after every step of our shoes. Nowadays, solar power provides 80% of our electricity consumption. Also, we have been working closely with Leather Working Group approved suppliers for responsible leather. We wish our shoe brings a joyful journey for every kids on a greener planet.

What are your target markets and which ones are you aiming for in the near future?

‘The most important market for our brands is, of course, Hungary, but we also sell our products in several EU countries and outside its borders, in countries such as Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Poland, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, Spain, Ireland, Finland. We also have some customers in Canada, Australia, Lebanon, Chile, Japan. Our goal for the near future is to further strengthen our presence in the western part of the continent and in Italy. More than the large chain shops, it is the small independent shoe shops, interested in a quality product, that are our reference distribution channel’.

In September you will be exhibiting at MIcam for the first time: what do you expect from this fair?

‘Micam is the most important footwear trade fair in the world and for us it can be a privileged showcase to present the high quality of our products and gain the trust of new buyers. At the fair, customers can touch our products, see the new models and colours. Surely the fact that we can participate in Micam represents an added value in the life of our company’.