For years, students in India have been required to wear white school shoes, either daily or during sports. While once seen as a marker of neatness, white shoes are a colonial tradition that no longer makes sense in today’s context.
The problem starts with practicality. White shoes get dirty almost instantly on dusty playgrounds, muddy fields and during the monsoon. Parents and children spend hours cleaning them, often replacing pairs multiple times a year. For many families, this is an unnecessary financial burden.
There is also a social cost. Clean shoes are often treated as a sign of discipline, while stained shoes can lead to scolding or embarrassment. This creates inequality, where children from wealthier families are able to maintain or replace shoes more easily than others. Instead of promoting fairness, white shoes highlight socio economic divides.
The environmental impact cannot be ignored. With millions of students washing white shoes every week, the amount of water and detergent wasted is enormous. All of this effort goes into maintaining an appearance rooted in outdated colonial standards, not practicality.
Other countries have started making a shift. In 2019, Malaysia moved away from mandatory white shoes, adopting darker colours such as black, brown and grey. Parents reported less stress, lower costs and more durable footwear, while schools retained the discipline and uniformity that uniforms are meant to represent.
At Plaeto, we believe school shoes should reflect modern realities and celebrate every child’s potential. We have started working with schools in Bengaluru, India to change the norm and create custom shoe designs that are unique to their community. These shoes are practical, durable and comfortable, while also building a sense of identity and pride among students.
Moving beyond white shoes is not about breaking tradition, but about creating a future where uniforms unite rather than divide, where comfort goes hand in hand with discipline, and where students feel proud to wear shoes designed just for them. With every step, schools can build confidence, equality and joy.
Authors:
Nikitha Susan Mathews - Year 1 student at Flame University and a Plaeto Intern
Akhilesh Viswanathan - Year 3 student at KREA and a Plaeto Intern
Kriti Kanthi - VP, Plaeto
