SHOES JHAZ FOR YOU

A Success Story of Jhaz Footwear

HAVING a pair of quality shoes usually costs an arm and a leg, much more an entire collection. Some people even shop in the Metro or go abroad just to buy shoes. The thing is, not many people know that Liliw, a small town in Laguna and widely regarded as the Tsinelas (slip-pers) Capital of the Philippines and Footwear Capital of Laguna, has a wide array of durable and quality but low-priced shoe styles and designs. The footwear industry has been one of the town’s major industries for decades.

One of the famous footwear stores in Liliw known for its comfortable, durable, fashionable, and affordable shoes is Jhaz Footwear, which was es-tablished in 2004 by Nephtali and Elvie Moneda.

The Humble Beginnings

Jhaz rose from humble beginnings. The couple’s teenage love blossomed into marriage. He was 16, and she was 17. For four years, they borrowed shoe stocks from friends and relatives, reselling them to nearby provinces to support their family. At that time, they earned at least Php 3,000-4,000 by selling 100-200 pairs of shoes. However, because the couple were both studying while working, they realized the need for additional income to secure the needs of their growing family. That’s when Nephtali thought of having his own shoe business.

“I grew up in a family of shoemakers. My mother is the pioneer in Liliw to use abaca in shoes. Our family relied on shoemaking for a living. It was a skill that was passed on from generation to generation,” said Nephtali.

The Struggles

“In the first few months, I was alone making shoes at a small laundry area in my mother-in-law’s house. I worked day and night to craft shoes and sold them to acquaintances and other shoe stores.”

Because he didn’t have a physical store, Nephtali would lay down a banig (mat) and his crafted shoes outside other stores.  Oftentimes, he was be-ing driven away by security guards and store owners. For Nephtali, those difficult and sad moments became his motivation to not give up.

Nephtali began designing more slippers, sandals, and shoes and using more materials such as abaca, textiles, rubbers, synthetic leathers, plastic, etc. All his hard work paid off because he was able to save money and rent a shoe stall. He then started hiring his own workers and expanding his shoe business.

“As we received more orders from customers, my husband and I were able to save up money and build our own house, which we also used as our production house for quite some time. Thankfully, the business was doing well, so we decided to build a small factory made of bamboos beside our house,” said Elvie.

That small workshop made of bamboos became their factory for several years. It also became a showroom to their clients and guests who visited.

“Nakakahiya nga po sa mga clients namin na pumupunta sa production house namin kasi kapag maulan, sobrang maputik. Maliit din ang space kaya siksikan ang mga workers namin. Hirap din sila kapag summer kasi napakainit sa loob at kapag tag-ulan naman, halos mabasa na sila,” said Elvie nos-talgically.

One of Jhaz’s biggest challenges, however, is other stores copying or imitating their shoes.

“Once we launch a new shoe design and it becomes an instant hit to customers, other shoe stores will follow suit by producing replicas of our shoes,” said Nephtali.

“It’s becoming a major problem for us because the copied shoes are cheaper. That’s why we always tell our buyers that the difference lies in the quality. Handcrafted by our skilled shoemakers, we use high-quality materials in our shoes to make our shoes durable. We assure our customers that our shoes will last them for years,” said Nephtali.

The process of handcrafting shoes is laborious. Each pair is shaped and designed fastidiously. Over the years, the couple has designed and produced more than a thousand shoe designs, taking inspiration from shoe designs they find on the Internet. Some are customized items requested by their clients here and abroad.

DTI’s Intervention

Jhaz was only a start-up business during that time and in order to survive in the footwear industry, Nephtali decided to take his business to another level by taking advantage of the programs offered by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

“Before, we did not think about going outside Liliw to sell our shoes. Our focus was catering only to customers in Liliw and our neighboring towns. But after attending the DTI’s seminars and workshops, our mindset was changed. We realized that there are more opportunities waiting for us outside our town and that we can improve our products to make them more appealing to the market.”

“We therefore joined many small bazaars and local fairs. After a while, we expanded our customer base by taking part in national and international trade fairs. Through DTI’s fairs, we were able to gain our longtime buyers who also became our friends.”

Jhaz also joined the One Town, One Product (OTOP) Next Generation—DTI’s program offering a package of public-private assistance for MSMEs with minimum viable products to come up with new or better offerings with significant improvement and innovation in the areas of quality, product development, design, packaging, standards compliance, marketability, production capability, brand development, among others.

“After joining the OTOP, our products improved in terms of design, branding, and packaging. We underwent several training sessions and work-shop on financial management, capacity building, and marketing platforms and promotion. We’re also able to promote our shoes through the OTOP Philippines Hub,” said Nephtali.

As another flagship market access program by the DTI, the OTOP ­Philippines Hub or OTOP.PH is a retail store or spaces where products from One Town One Product offerings can be found. It serves as a marketing vehicle and incubation platform to promote and champion OTOP products. The hub can be found mostly in airports, terminals, pasalubong centers, tourist spots, Negosyo Centers, public markets, and other consumer-frequented loca-tions including malls.

Leadership  and Loyalty

Jhaz caters to both local and international buyers. They are an expert in using jute-abaca and native materials for their shoes. Most of the buyers are traders, retailers, and wholesalers.

When asked about how he is as a boss, Nephtali answered, “I am a hands-on boss. I personally train my employees in shoemaking.”

Isabelo Royera, one of the first three employees Nephtali hired, has been with Jhaz for almost two decades now.

“Dahil sa paggawa ng mga sapatos, napagtapos ko po ng pag-aaral ang aking anak. Nabubuhay ko po ang aking pamilya. Maganda ang kita at nag-eenjoy po ako sa aking trabaho, nakakaipon pa po kami,” said Isabelo.

“Magaan ang trabaho pero minsan kapag malalaki ang orders ng kliyente, nag-oovertime kami para ma-meet ang targets.”

For Isabelo, it takes hard work, focus, and patience in shoemaking. He also mentioned the importance of building good relationship with coworkers and enjoying and loving one’s work.

Achievements

Currently, Jhaz has employed 60 workers and is supporting the community by offering side jobs to families such as abaca braiding and embroidery. They are capable to produce 5,000 pairs per month of espadrilles and doll shoes, 2,000 to 3,000 pairs of wedge and clogs, and 5,000 pairs of flat slip-pers.

“From a shoe workshop at the laundry area, to a production area at the first floor of our house, to a small workshop made of bamboos beside our house, and now to a factory made from concrete materials that has an area of 140 square meters for production, 70 square meters for sole and clog pro-duction, and 110 square meters for warehouse, we have come a long way,” said Elvie proudly.

“Nang dahil sa paggawa ng mga sapatos, nakabili kami ng aming sariling bahay, lupa, at mga sasakyan. Nabibigyan din namin ng magandang buhay ang aming mga anak.”

Of course, they have a few failed attempts, but they didn’t allow those hindrances to keep them from going. According to Nephtali and Elvie, they have managed to secure a successful shoemaking business because they never give up on their goal and they continue to improve and innovate.

Moving Forward

Nephtali and Elvie dream of seeing their own shoe stores at the malls all over the country. But for the meantime, their goal is to have a physical store outside Liliw so that it will be convenient for their customers to shop their shoes.

Advice to Aspiring and Existing Entrepreneurs

As for their advice to aspiring and existing entrepreneurs, Nephtali and Elvie revealed that to remain competitive in the business, it is important to keep abreast of market trends through at-tending seminars and researching and to join government programs.

“Do not hesitate to seek help from government agencies like the DTI because they will help entrepreneurs like us to get to the place where we want to be,” Elvie concluded.

Presently, Jhaz lives true to its company motto that “for every footwear that you need, they have it Jhaz for you.”

Learn more about the programs and services of the Department of Trade and Industry Region 4-A on www.dti.gov.ph/regions/region4a. To receive updates, follow the DTI 4-A on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.