PEOPLE
THE X1 LANDSCAPE BOOT IN ACTION
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SOLE G N I H C SEAR N G TO N H O W S H AW N LA HE FO U N D H IS N IC
hawn Langton has loved the outdoors his entire life. He and his cousin Dave, nicknamed Kujo, could often be found outside together. As an adult, Shawn worked in the lawn and garden industry where he saw all the latest products in the marketplace. But what he didn’t see was a proper work shoe for landscapers. “I always hated wearing heavy boots, and sneakers weren’t practical for the mud and I’d always slip on hills,” Shawn recalls. “I started researching footwear designers but couldn’t find what I was looking for. So, I decided to design my own.” Shawn spent two years researching various designs and manufacturing options. He launched a Kickstarter campaign in 2017 and named his company Kujo Yardwear after his late beloved cousin. “I interviewed a lot of landscapers and lawn care operators to find out what they wanted in a shoe,” he says. “We started with the idea of a hybrid boot, something that feels like a Nike but can handle all the functions of mowing, walking miles every day and working hard on your feet. We knew we needed comfort with an aggressive grip and water resistance, and some landscapers needed a safety toe—especially when hardscaping.”
SK ET CH EA RLY SH OE
SHAWN AND COUSIN DAVID (KUJO) 62 Pro Landscaper USA South May/June 2021
south.prolandscaperusa.com
