§1What this business is
Canvas uppers are cut and stitched, rubber is mixed and calendered, the sole is fixed and the whole shoe is vulcanised. Students, players and children wear them for sport and drill; the Army, police, Home Guards and NCC buy them in bulk; many people also wear them every day.
Capacity: 55,000 shoes a year (count as printed).
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
Someone from a footwear or rubber-goods background who can bid in school and institutional tenders.
Who it is not for
A first-time founder with no link to the footwear market.
Advantages
- Large, steady demand from schools and uniformed services
- Low-priced product people buy every year
- Government and institutional tenders
- Footwear skills are available in many towns
Drawbacks
- Heavy motors and a boiler mean a high power load
- Big brands and imports compete on price
- Tender work brings payment delays
- Rubber prices move up and down
Skills you need
- Rubber mixing and vulcanising
- Pattern cutting and stitching
- Tendering
- Quality control
Why difficulty 3/5: The machinery is heavy and the market runs on tenders, but the process is well known.
§3Market
Who buys
- Schools, students and children
- Players and sports users
- Army, Navy, Air Force, police, Home Guards and NCC
- Everyday casual wearers
How it sells
- Institutional and government tenders
- Footwear wholesalers and retailers
Good to know
- The profile says canvas shoes are popular for being light, comfortable and low-cost.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Mixing mill 4 × 36 in with chilled cast rolls, reduction gear and 50 HP motor | — | — |
| Cloth calendering machine 8 × 24 in with 25 HP motor | — | — |
| Rubber spreading machine 12 × 30 in with 25 HP motor | — | — |
| Vulcaniser 9 × 5 ft | — | — |
| Boiler | — | — |
| Embossing machine | — | — |
| Churner with 1 HP motor | — | — |
| Eyeleting machine (hand operated) | — | — |
| Clicking press, 5 tonnes, power operated, 5 HP | — | — |
| Industrial sewing machine, ½ HP | — | — |
| Aluminium and iron shoe lasts, moulds, clicking dies, trolleys, office equipment | — | — |
| Equipment total | — | ₹13,57,500 |
From: KVIC Project Profile — Canvas Shoes (PMEGP)
- Canvas cloth and rubber (for uppers and soles)raw material ₹16.08 lakh a year at full capacity
- Labels and packing material₹1.00 lakh a year
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam
- GST
- Pollution Control Board consent (rubber processing and boiler)
- Boiler registration with the state boiler inspectorate
- BIS certification if a footwear Quality Control Order covers your product — check first
- Factory licence once the worker count crosses the limit
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
- Stand-Up IndiaCentralClosed₹10 lakh – ₹1 crore loan
PMEGP (manufacturing up to ₹50 L) and CGTMSE fit; Stand-Up India for SC/ST or women founders.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Equipment ₹13,57,500 (mixing mill with 50 HP motor, cloth calendering machine 25 HP, rubber spreading machine 25 HP, vulcaniser 9 × 5 ft, boiler, embossing machine, clicking press 5 HP, sewing machine, shoe lasts, moulds, dies, trolleys, office equipment) + working capital ₹8,00,000 = ₹21,57,500. Own land; work shed rented.
Working capital: Working capital ₹8.00 L (the profile works out ₹9.09 L needed per cycle).
Year not printed on the KVIC profile — check current machinery prices.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: Council for Leather Exports (also covers non-leather footwear)
- Confirm the 8-digit ITC-HS code on the DGFT site.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Rubber and canvas price rise
- Late tender payments
- Competition from large brands
- Rejects from poor vulcanising
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working canvas shoes unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam, GST), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start Canvas Shoes?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.