Zipped Brands: Founders Story

Why Us?

Everyone deserves to wear their favorite shoes. Period. 

But here's what we noticed: most adaptive footwear companies focus on creating entirely new shoe designs. While their intentions are good, this approach often means you're choosing from a limited selection of styles that may not match what's trending or what you actually want to wear.

We saw that gap and decided to do something about it.

The Story That Started Everything

Aaron didn't set out to start a shoe company. He just wanted to wear Nikes like everyone else.

Growing up with SMA, he watched his friends rock the latest Jordans while he was stuck with whatever he could physically get on his feet. It wasn't about the shoes themselves—it was about belonging. About having the same choices. About wearing the shoes he always wanted to wear, but never could.

That frustration turned into a question: Why should anyone have to choose between accessibility and style?

The answer was obvious. They shouldn't.

So Aaron connected with Oliver and Angel at Shoeman with Angel's Custom Creations, and together they figured out how to modify existing mainstream shoes with discreet zippers. Not "special needs" footwear. Just the same shoes everyone else wears, made to work for different bodies.

What Makes Us Different

At Zipped Brands, we start with the shoes you already love—Nike, Adidas, Converse, whatever's trending—and make them work for your body. Our custom zipper modification is so discreet that most people won't even notice it.

You get the exact same shoes as everyone else. Same brands, same styles, same conversations about the latest drops. The only difference? Yours actually work for how you move through the world.

How We Actually Serve Our Community

Here's what sets us apart: we're led by someone who actually uses the product.

Aaron isn't building for the disability community from the outside looking in. He's building from lived experience, with input from people who understand what it's like to be excluded from mainstream fashion.

Every modification we make gets tested against real life, not theoretical accessibility standards. Every business decision runs through the filter of "does this advance actual inclusion or just make us feel good?"

We listen because we're part of this community. And we act because we know what it's like to want the same choices as everyone else.

Why This Matters

This isn't just about shoes. It's about inclusion. It's about having the freedom to blend in when you want to and stand out when you choose to.

It's about kids with disabilities being able to wear the same sneakers as their teammates. It's about adults not having to explain their footwear choices. It's about participating in fashion culture instead of being excluded from it.

When you can wear the same shoes as everyone else, you're not just getting footwear. You're getting a true sense of belonging. A true sense of feeling included.

That's huge.

Where We're Headed

We're not content being a small adaptive brand that serves a niche market. Our goal is to make inclusion so recognized that it becomes the standard, not the exception.

We want to see our modified shoes in regular retail stores. We want healthcare providers recommending us as the obvious choice.  We want to have real disabled representation in our marketing.

Most importantly, we want to change the conversation from "grateful for whatever adaptive options exist" to "everyone deserves the same choices."

Join Us

Zipped Brands exists because one person got tired of being excluded and decided to build the solution he wished existed.

Now we're building something bigger: proof that disabled-led businesses can serve our community while changing how the world thinks about inclusion.

Whether you're shopping for shoes, advocating for accessible design, or just tired of settling for "good enough," you're part of this movement.

Because everyone deserves to wear their favorite shoes. And we're here to make that happen.