FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
nationthailand

Ninja shoes leap past the paddy fields

Ninja shoes leap past the paddy fields

AFTER FINDING initial success from production of a type of boot it calls “ninja shoes” for farmers, CS Shoes (2008) has furthered that success by designing a version of them as fashionable footwear for general sales domestically and in some foreign markets.

The company targets sales value of Bt20 million this year thanks to strong demand, managing director and owner Sirannaphas Sawaddiwonan said in a recent interview with The Nation.
Sirannaphas decided to resign from her job in 2005 after her husband completed his business-model proposal with the Industrial Promotion Department of the Industry Ministry to produce ninja shoes, traditionally worn by rice farmers while working in the fields. She said she and her husband agreed that while he carried on with his regular job, she would quit her job and run their new shoe business, with his help. 
From her family savings of Bt100,000, she began producing ninja shoes and sold 1,000 pairs at about 20 agricultural-equipment outlets. However, this generated only Bt80,000 in revenue during the first two months of sales. Sirannaphas said the first lot of shoes sold out but she posted a net loss because the production process was inefficient. 
But she and her husband developed the business and learned how to design products that matched customers’ demand, and in 2008 they enjoyed a net profit. So she decided to establish CS Shoes (2008) Co with registered capital of Bt2 million. Once the business was an established company and more than an individual enterprise, they started exporting their products to Laos and Japan.
Using quality rubber and cotton as raw materials, the company successfully applied for a design patent from the Intellectual Property Department of the Commerce Ministry. 
From its original 20 sales outlets, the company now markets its products in 500 outlets, both agricultural-product shops and modern trade. Sales now average Bt1 million a month, and the company targets sales value of Bt20 million this year by expanding its distribution network to online channels.
“We believe that our new distribution channels will expand our market and boost our sales by double digits this year and next,” Sirannaphas said.
 

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