Ikonomu Konstantinos is still an active football player, however he is also thinking about the future. While kicking the ball in the colors of Pécs, he is also making a name for himself in the football sock market with his business.
These are not just any football socks
During the pandemic, he first considered distributing regeneration tools. Since this would have been a very capital-intensive activity, he moved towards goalkeeper gloves. These were launched under the name Willpower, and today they are worn by both amateur and professional goalkeepers in Hungary.
Following the launch of the Willpower brand, Gripower came next. The grip socks have anti-slip surfaces on the sole, thanks to which the foot does not slide inside the shoe. As a result, football players can change direction more stably during the game, and the likelihood of blisters forming is also reduced by this technology.
Grip socks were not widespread in Central and Eastern Europe
Abroad, anti-slip socks had already been popular for years, but in Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Croatia, and Romania their use was still not widespread. Konstantinos and his team were among the first to introduce grip socks to the region.
At first, they were sold alongside their goalkeeper gloves. Through goalkeepers, field players also got to know these special garments. Initially, these socks were also sold under the Willpower name, but later the two brands were separated, so the socks are now available under the name Gripower.
Huge demand for grip socks
These football socks are very popular. Last year, Konstantinos and his team sold 15,000 pairs of socks. Today, a separate team is responsible for the marketing of both goalkeeper gloves and socks. Interestingly, the Gripower products achieve excellent results with relatively low effort.
The market is becoming increasingly saturated. Despite this, Gripower maintains a strong position, partly thanks to well-known players such as Hungarian national team members Zsolt Nagy and Martin Ádám wearing these anti-slip socks. In almost every top-division match in Hungary, a football player wearing Gripower socks can be seen.
Konstantinos and his team take advantage of the opportunities offered by digitalization
The grip socks can be ordered through our modern, clean-designed online store. The webshop itself was introduced to the public through our social media channels.
Gripower products can be found on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram as well. We publish new content in several regional languages at the same time. We also publish educational content for goalkeepers, as community building is also a goal in the case of Willpower.
Combining sports and business is possible
Konstantinos stated that, alongside building his business, he is able to fully focus on football, as his sports career remains the most important thing for him. Since he spent this season in Pécs, he also moved there with his family.
At the moment, he feels he is able to deliver the expected performance on the pitch. He hopes that his story can inspire others to start something new. After all, football players should definitely think about what they will do after their active playing career ends.
If you have any questions regarding football socks, do not hesitate to contact us!
