FROM KITCHEN TABLE TO CULT FOLLOWING - THE PK STORY
Look, some brands have a polished origin story involving investors and market research and a very serious PowerPoint presentation. Ours started with a pair of tiny handmade boots, a kitchen table in Melbourne, and one very firm belief: that shoes should never get in the way of happy, healthy feet. Over a decade later? We're still that brand — just louder, bolder, and significantly more colourful.
Whether you've been rocking PKs since the early days or you just fell down a rainbow sole rabbit hole and ended up here — Hi! Hello! Welcome to PaperKrane! We're an independent Australian barefoot shoe brand with a passionate community, a whole lotta heart and absolutely zero interest in doing things the boring way. And we figured it was about time we properly reintroduced ourselves.
So grab a cuppa. Here's our story...
FROM KITCHEN TABLE TO (SMALL BUT MIGHTY) GLOBAL BRAND 
PaperKrane has been growing since 2012, when a vision to create foot-friendly origami inspired baby & toddler booties that would do no harm to developing feet. On weekdays they were meticulously hand-sewn from the kitchen table and on weekends, they sold like crazy at handmade markets. Over time, a loyal and passionate community of customers grew — both in person and online — and what started as a solo operation steadily became something much bigger.
2016 was when things really shifted. PK partnered with an ethical factory in Vietnam, developed our now-iconic rubber sole, launched adult sizes, and started building a small international stockist network. Since then we've navigated growth spurts, supply chain chaos, a global pandemic (remember that?!), and everything in between.
But through all of it (and we mean all of it), the mission has never changed, we continue to create foot-friendly shoes that do no harm to feet...just with a lot more colour, a lot more soul, and a whole lot less kitchen table!
SO...WHAT MAKES PK... PK?
Here's the thing. We're not a big brand. We're not trying to be. We're a very small, proudly independent Australian shoe business, and that's exactly why every decision we make is intentional.
On materials, we're borderline obsessive. We choose eco-conscious materials where possible. We work with dead-stock leathers (beautiful hides that would otherwise go to waste), and we design our catalogues so the same materials run across collections so nothing gets squandered. Thoughtful design isn't a marketing line for us; it's genuinely just how we work.
On ethics, we don't cut corners. Our shoes are crafted by our factory in Vietnam, where we pay a living wage to every single worker. Not because we have to. Because there's simply no other way we'd want to do business. Full stop.
On design, we go big. Limited drops, bold colourways, and that signature rainbow sole that people spot from across a park and think yep, those are PKs. Once a design sells out, it's gone — and that's intentional too. Every drop deserves to feel special.
OUR VALUES — NO FLUFF, JUST THE REAL STUFF
Inclusivity and respect sit at the heart of everything we do. We make shoes for all ages, all shapes, and all walks of life — literally. We believe in foot freedom, body autonomy, and radical self-expression. We believe barefoot shoes should be bold, beautiful, and accessible to everyone.
Because life's too short for boring shoes. And feet are too important for bad ones.
Feet first. Always. You do you. 🌈
THE COMMUNITY THAT BUILT THIS (THAT'S YOU, BTW)
We are genuinely, hand-on-heart still pinching ourselves at how far PaperKrane has come — and we owe every single bit of it to the PK community. The passionate, loyal, cult-level-devoted humans who show up for every drop, share their pairs online, and keep this little Aussie brand going and growing. You're the reason we're still here, and still dreaming up what's next.
Come say hi on Instagram or join the PK Facebook community — it's where the good stuff happens. New drops, pre-loved pairs, and a whole lot of people who Get It.
Here's to the next chapter. We can't wait to share it with you. ✨