Adelante Made-To-Order

Peter Sacco founded Adelante in 2016 after years of development work in Latin America. At age 16, Sacco visited the region as a surfer and was deeply affected by the poverty and inequality he witnessed. He subsequently worked for a nonprofit building stoves in Guatemala and interned at the State Department in Mexico City. These experiences led him to pursue graduate studies at the Tufts Fletcher School, where he developed the concept for Adelante as a for-profit vehicle for sustainable economic development.

The company began selling shoes in May 2017, establishing its workshop in the historic shoemaking town of Pastores, Guatemala. The town was home to over 1,000 cobblers practicing traditional leatherworking techniques passed down through generations. Adelante's model aimed to preserve this craft heritage while providing stable, well-compensated employment in a region where formal employment rates were below 10 percent.

The company ceased operations in 2025, though the exact circumstances and date of closure remain undocumented in available sources.

Adelante operated a single workshop in Pastores, Guatemala, eschewing factory production in favor of traditional craftsmanship. Each pair of shoes was made to order by individual artisans, with customers receiving updates throughout the production process. The company's manufacturing approach emphasized the connection between maker and customer, with each craftsperson's individual style visible in the finished product.

The production timeline was efficient for made-to-order footwear, with boots typically completed within 10 days to two weeks. Artisans like Adrian Gomez, a second-generation shoemaker, worked with simple tools including workbenches, hammers, knives, and glue. Gomez used the same 25-year-old hammer his father had used, exemplifying the multigenerational nature of the craft in Pastores.

Adelante's product line included boots, shoes, and sandals for both men and women. The company's signature offering was its extensive customization program, which allowed customers to specify exact sizing, width, and aesthetic details. Notable styles included:

Pricing ranged from $350 to $495, positioning handcrafted made-to-order footwear at prices below typical bespoke offerings while maintaining quality construction standards.

Adelante distinguished itself through its commitment to ethical manufacturing practices and social impact measurement. The company developed what it called the "Living Well Line" methodology, based on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, to determine fair compensation for its workers.

Rather than simply paying prevailing wages, Adelante conducted annual evaluations to determine what employees themselves defined as necessary goods and services for living well in their communities. This approach resulted in artisans earning approximately double the local market rate for similar work. The company also provided both private and public health insurance options and formal employment contracts, rare benefits in Guatemala's informal economy.

Employees reported tangible improvements in their economic circumstances, with some using their income to launch side businesses such as grocery stores. Many progressed from walking to work to purchasing motorcycles and eventually automobiles, indicators of increased economic stability and opportunity.

Though the company's operational period was relatively brief, Adelante established a model for combining craft preservation, fair labor practices, and accessible luxury goods. The company's approach demonstrated that made-to-order manufacturing could be both economically viable and socially beneficial, challenging conventional footwear industry practices around pricing, production timelines, and labor compensation.

Sacco described Adelante's philosophy as "capitalism retooled," envisioning for-profit business as a tool to reduce poverty and promote inclusive development worldwide. The company's transparency reports and published impact evaluations contributed to broader discussions about measuring social enterprise effectiveness and defining fair wages in international development contexts.