DAVA Artisan Design (Ndavaa)

 

Founded by Clara García and her family, Ndavaa is a cooperative of 15 artisans from the San Dionisio Ocotepec community in the state of Oaxaca, dedicated to the production of high-quality handmade sandals and shoes, always concerned with conserving the environment through the use of natural fibers. designed through ancient traditions. Tejiendo Alianzas supports Ndavaa in the refinement of its production, marketing, and distribution.

As an innovative family business, Ndavaa has experimented with combining leather with recycled materials such as tires, wrappers, bags, aluminum cans, and also a variety of naturally dyed handmade textiles through techniques such as the foot loom and the waist loom, with fibers such as wool, silk and cotton. This strategy has added great value to their products, leaving a minimal carbon footprint.

This family business benefits not only the García family and its locally employed team, but also a whole network of more than 50 artisans who provide indigenous textiles as key components in the design of each pair of sandals and shoes. Innovation and collaboration have led to an impressive range of footwear, which has now attracted the attention of designers and companies in the United States.

Ndavaa's sales benefit not only the family and employees, but also the entire San Dionisio Ocotepec community. The family will donate a percentage of their profits to new projects and micro-businesses launched locally once Ndavaa completes the standardization of its production and has solidified its marketing and sales strategies.

Ndavaa currently sells its products to contemporary and traditional craft product stores in Oaxaca, Mexico City, and on a smaller scale to designers and their companies in the United States (SF, Denver, and NY), such as ILANO and Laadi Designs, whose models are custom designed as well as those existing in the Ndavaa catalog. The company participates in government-sponsored product fairs across the country, selling at its store in Oaxaca, via Facebook and Instagram. Their customers appreciate the creative and fashionable designs, the very affordable price and the fact that their shoes are 100% Mexican and from an indigenous family. The family has also received great attention from state and federal government agencies as a small business success story, leading to invitations to meet former Mexican presidents and promotional videos produced by the Oaxaca state government (posted on Facebook).

 
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Results

  • Research and creation of "Go-to-market" strategy to enter the US market

  • Identification of new sales channels

  • Consulting sessions to create strategies in:

    • Establishing a digital inventory system

    • The standardization of sandal and shoe designs

    • The development of new products, such as face masks

    • Improving efficiency in leather processing and shoe making

    • Designing and implementing marketing strategies, creating digital content, photos of models

    • Improve online sales: www.davaartesanal.com

  • Creation and administration of a campaign to donate face masks made with footwear fabrics and embroidery, with over 400 masks donated: www.davamasks.com

  • Report on the local news channel TV Azteca