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» It’s easy to wear and feels like a sneaker, so it’s very popular among old men! The behind-the-scenes story of the development of “Pondal”, which was challenged by Hanao craftsman “Hanaichi”. Experience the comfort of new footwear at the Adachi brand

It’s easy to wear and feels like a sneaker, so it’s very popular among old men! The behind-the-scenes story of the development of “Pondal”, which was challenged by Hanao craftsman “Hanaichi”. Experience the comfort of new footwear at the Adachi brand

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Easy to wear like sneakers, very popular among old men! The
behind-the-scenes story of the development of “Pondal”, which was challenged by Hanao craftsman “Hanaichi”. Experience the comfort of new footwear at the Adachi brand booth at the Tokyo International Gift Show! ​
Adachi brand Press release: February 5, 2025 It’s easy to wear and feels like a sneaker, so it’s very popular among old men! The behind-the-scenes story of the development of “Pondal”, which was challenged by Hanao craftsman “Hanaichi”. Experience the comfort of new footwear at the Adachi brand booth at the Tokyo International Gift Show! Hanaichi will be participating in the 99th Tokyo International Gift, which will be held at Tokyo Big Sight for three days from February 12th (Wednesday) to February 14th (Friday), 2025.・We will exhibit at the “Adachi Brand” show. “Pondal” is a new type of footwear created by “Hanaichi” (Adachi-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Ichiro Shibata). They are said to be easy to wear and do not cause any pain at the base of the fingers. Moreover, new products with ethnic patterns and modern designs that are easy to match with not only Japanese clothing but also everyday wear are appearing one after another. It looks comfortable not only for women but also for men, and is attracting attention from fashion-conscious “old guys.”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/136487/92/136487-92-bc94a2a3fad7c2d2fb87ee2026c25d96-1620×1080.jpg The “Adachi Brand” is an initiative to further develop the industry in the ward and improve the image of Adachi Ward by recognizing the excellent products and technologies of companies within the ward and disseminating their excellence throughout the country. The purpose of the business. “Hanaichi” was certified as an Adachi brand in 2020. Mr. Shibata said, “We decided to participate in the Adachi brand because we believe that in order to protect the culture and tradition of Hanao and to develop Pondar, we need a relationship that allows us to exchange information across different industries. “I have decided to do so,” he says. This participation is expected to lead to new opportunities for collaboration and expansion into a broader market. From here, we will talk to Mr. Ichiro Shibata, the third generation owner of Hanaichi, about the behind-the-scenes story behind the development of Pondal and the unexpectedly expanding demand. A fusion of tradition and innovation that lasts for 100 years “My grandfather founded the company in 1920. My father took over the business, and I am now the third generation,” says Mr. Shibata. Hanaichi boasts a 100-year history of manufacturing thongs for Japanese footwear. However, Mr. Shibata felt a sense of crisis over the recent decline in demand for Japanese clothing, and decided to take on a new challenge in order to preserve the culture of thongs. One day, while Mr. Shibata was out shopping with his family at a shopping center, his eyes once again caught the attention of people’s feet. “A lot of people, young and old, were wearing sneakers. Why is everyone wearing sneakers? I thought the answer must be because they’re easy to wear.”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/136487/92/136487-92-cd5aaa8cdf8bd15fc8615e05b87071e9-1233×1252.jpg The idea of ​​“Pondar” was born from this realization. Mr. Shibata was convinced that if he could create footwear with a thong that felt like sneakers, he could improve the image of thongs and create a new market. This product, named “Pondal” as a sandal born in Japan, was developed with the concept of “a new type of footwear with a thong.” The sole is made of EVA resin material (ethylene vinyl acetate) used in sneakers, making it extremely lightweight at 250g per pair. Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/136487/92/136487-92-69bb9cda05abfd2429aba2f4829b4f15-1080×1080.jpg The path to development after overcoming difficulties during the coronavirus pandemic However, the development path was not smooth. Mr. Shibata thought it was necessary to develop a sole, so he started looking for a manufacturing company on the Internet. Coincidentally, in 2021, we are in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Although it was discovered that there were several sole manufacturing factories near Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture, Mr. Shibata could not easily visit them, so he continued to make phone calls from the beginning of his contact list. However, I keep getting rejected. “Just when I was about to give up, the last sole manufacturer I called kindly agreed, and I managed to get them to manufacture it,” Shibata recalls. Approximately six months after the concept was conceived, the prototype of “Pondar” was finally completed. Additional challenges plagued Shibata. It’s about sales strategy. Until now, “Hanaichi” has been a B to B business. As a subcontractor for thong production, we have continued to only deliver the thongs we produce to manufacturers. Therefore, they did not have the means to advertise their products, let alone deliver them to users. So, I consulted a matching creator (MC) in Adachi Ward, who recommended test marketing on the
crowdfunding site “Makuake.” The results were amazing. “We were able to achieve 2.07 million yen, which far exceeded our target amount (100,000 yen),” said Shibata. This success meant more than just fundraising. “That means there was more demand for thongs than I expected.It was also a moment when I realized once again that there was a demand for thongs for things other than Japanese footwear.”
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/136487/92/136487-92-667db90a47b9844d5cc5afb1570a2385-836×556.jpg Unexpected demand and continued evolution of “Pondal” An even more surprising development awaited. Initially, Pondal was developed to target women in their 30s to 50s, but the actual trends of purchasers were very different. “Surprisingly, there was a large proportion of men, and it was especially popular with old-fashioned customers in their 60s,” says Shibata. And so on. “Some men go barefoot all year round. We’ve received positive feedback, with people saying, “You can’t wear flip-flops in the winter, but pondals look luxurious and nice!” /td> In addition, there was a need that we had not anticipated at all.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/136487/92/136487-92-16c843df550029ab8300fd9d9c4330db-1620×1080.jpg “It has been well received by customers with bunions.Since orthopedic surgeons recommend footwear with thongs, “Pondal” has gained attention as a countermeasure against bunions.” Bunions cannot be cured on their own, but they can be prevented from becoming more serious. To achieve this, it is necessary to spread the crotch of the toes, and orthopedic surgeons recommend that footwear with thongs is effective. To meet this unexpected demand, Pondar continues to evolve. We are also planning to develop designs for men and Western clothing, as well as a larger size (30cm) for foreign tourists. “We want to respond to inbound demand for souvenirs as soon as possible,” says Mr. Shibata enthusiastically. The reason for the popularity of “Pondal” is its outstanding comfort The biggest feature of “Pondal” is its comfort. The EVA resin material used in the sole of the sneaker gently wraps your foot by sinking into it, improving the fit. It feels exactly like sneakers. Furthermore, by adding an approximately 6-degree slope to the inner sole, we have realized the ease of stepping out like sneakers. This also makes walking easier.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/136487/92/136487-92-1ab56362003be73efef32aec522dcc6a-694×381.png Development areas are not limited to the sole. We also reviewed the structure of the thong and developed a new technology called the “millefeuille manufacturing method.” Layered layers of soft sponge provide a comfortable fit.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/136487/92/136487-92-e9ded866b8d56f6b22f59970c53c99c0-621×530.png A typical thong (photo left) has a core material wrapped in light brown paper to increase its strength. On the other hand, Pondar’s thong (pictured on the right) has a thin sponge wrapped around it instead of paper. The elasticity of the sponge allows the thong to fit snugly without constricting the top of the foot. Thongs used to be custom-made by craftsmen to fit each customer’s foot shape. In other words, the premise was that the final fitting would take place in front of the sandal shop. This is why thongs fit perfectly even for people with high insteps or large feet. However, in modern life, such a sales format cannot be expected. However, with Pondal, you can feel like sneakers even with ready-made products.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/136487/92/136487-92-0fd37181d90712a4422d2f6b87baea6e-2000×1333.jpg Possibilities of traditional industries. It is about being close to modern life “Tradition is not something that can be passed down by enduring the same things as before.”Rather than geta, which you wear only one day in the summer and have to put up with the pain, “pondar” can be worn every day without stress. We want people to feel the quality of thongs and the benefits of footwear that can be enjoyed barefoot,” Mr. Shibata emphasizes. Currently, “Pondal” is collaborating with a knitwear manufacturer in Sumida Ward to develop coordinations that match “Pondal” socks with visible socks. This is an example of Pondar’s latest initiative. ‘Pondar’ is now sold at major department stores. Mr. Shibata himself spends his days at the store listening to the voices of his customers. In this way, we listen to the voices of customers who have actually visited our site, and immediately incorporate the requests we receive into product development. Through this experience, Mr. Shibata is convinced of the new possibilities of thongs. It is said that the goal of eliminating negative impressions such as “thongs = pain” is now in sight. Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/136487/92/136487-92-56b2fd388b6b3c8b405c45b9af37e03a-1080×1080.jpg Hanaichi will be appearing at the 99th Tokyo International Gift Show, which will be held at Tokyo Big Sight for three days from February 12th (Wednesday) to February 14th (Friday), 2025. You can also see the Pondar for yourself. Please stop by the “SOZAI
Exhibition”corner”Adachi Brand” booth inside the gift show. We look forward to your visit.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/136487/92/136487-92-955f1e3cfb8a51f53bd27534e35a4c89-667×444.jpg Company information Hanao Takumi Hanaichi http://hanao-hanaichi.com/ Company name: Hanao Takumi Hanaichi Address: 3-8-7 Sekihara, Adachi-ku, Tokyo Phone number: 03-3880-1584 Representative: Ichiro Shibata Business details: Manufacture, processing, and sales of thongs The “Adachi Brand” certifies the excellent products and technologies of companies in the ward and widely disseminates their excellence throughout the country, helping to further develop the ward’s industry and improve the image of Adachi ward. This is a business that aims to achieve this goal. “Hanaichi” is a company certified as this “Adachi brand.”
For inquiries regarding coverage and other published information, please contact the Manufacturing Promotion Section of the Industrial Promotion Division, Industrial Economics Department, Adachi Ward Office, which is also the administrative office of “Adachi Brand.” Manufacturing Promotion Section, Industrial Promotion Division, Industrial Economy Department, Adachi City Hall Phone number: 03-3880-5869 Fax: 03-3880-5605 Adachi brand official website https://adachi-brand.jp/

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