WHY SUNSUMS ?
Feel Like Royalty
Once reserved for royalty, our authentic kente handcrafted by Ghanaian artisans will make you feel you belong on a throne.
But it's more than the fabric talking.
Our standout patterns and styles will also get you noticed.
Sunsums users often tell us they receive a consistent stream of compliments on their footwear.
Lightweight & Comfortable
Melt into weightless footwear that feels as good as it looks.
The best fashion should make your feet feel as great as your self esteem. And take you as far as you want to go without making your feet hurt.
Quality Materials
"Fast fashion" falls apart as quickly as factories churn it out.
Our real leather, hand-woven kente cloth, and all the best materials keep you wearing Sunsums longer.
Handcrafted
Our artisans were, in many cases, literally pulled from poverty and begging to produce Sunsums.
Their gratitude reinforces every seam and keeps traditional craftsmanship alive.
Wearable Art
Many Sunsums incorporate handwoven traditional kente cloth from Ghana.
Each piece of kente tells a vibrant story through its patterns, making no two pieces exactly alike.
Sure you commit to general color schemes at checkout. But the art you receive will be your own pleasant surprise.
Ethically Made
We pay our craftsmen about 27 times the local average income.
In fact, they're the reason we're in this.
Our founder once begged for his living on the streets of Ghana.
When he returns, many now beg from him.
Instead of giving them a fish, he teaches them to fish with meaningful jobs.
From Our Founder: "George" Kwame Baah
From Beggar to Footwear Founder
For 10 years, the meager money I had mostly came from begging on the streets of Ghana while trying to get through technical school.
But one day while begging, an elevator repairman gave me a course catalog for an American University. I treasured that booklet. Saw it as my way out.
By the grace of God, an American sponsored me with $1500 to come to a university in Mobile, Alabama.
With $300 and a backpack donated by generous church members, I flew to the U.S. with no idea how to pay my tuition.
I made my way to Mobile anyway by bus and then taxi.
Miraculously, I somehow made it through school with a job and found an internship in my field of engineering despite a lack of citizenship.
Through a faith-building series of events, that internship got me a green card right at the deadline.
Since then, I’ve been able to establish Sunsums with shoemaking skills I learned in the poverty of my youth.
I design every piece with an engineer's propensity for consistent improvement in both style and substance.
But when I go home to Ghana it’s tough.
Even those with competent degrees have difficulty finding a job. For those without an education like I once lacked, begging becomes a way of life.
So when I go home, people constantly ask me for money.
But I forgot to plant the money tree they think I have.
So instead, I give them meaningful work.
And by supporting Kwame Baah, you are helping others just like me who know begging and hardship.
You are promoting self-esteem and helping hard workers rise beyond their humble circumstances.
That’s why I often incorporate the symbol that indicates that nothing is permanent in our authentic kente cloth shoe designs. Life situations and circumstances can change for anyone.
And that's just part of the authentic fun of Sunsums.
Every purchase of Sunsums is a gift to hard-working artisans who enjoy a better life because of you.
And your feet will thank you too.
Nante yie (Walk well),
George Kwame Baah