Liken banks on creativity to woo environment conscious customers

Rising concern over cli¬mate change has not only increased awareness about the environment but also opened up business opportunities for some.

Liken Europe Union Co Ltd was established based on a "Green World" concept. The company's products have been environment friendly, focusing on decorative items and equipment for gardens.

"Liken" is also the company brand with a variety of products, including ceramic dolls, fabric shop¬ping bags, gifts and plant feeders in wide range of designs. The firm also has a garden decoration service, which comes up with creative Japanese gardens under a fantasy concept.

"Rising concerns on climate change have also increased our busi¬ness opportunity to create new prod¬ucts and services," said Gullayanee.

Moreover, the change in living style of people in the city, who stay in condominiums, has increased demand for "small garden decora¬tion" service. They want to live in a natural environment, said Gullayanee.

The firm has earned revenues of Bt10 mil¬lion per year with exports of home decorative items accounting for 70 per cent. Domestic sales and garden arrangement service account for the rest.

"At first, I used most of the capi¬tal to buy a computer to enable me to design products based on my ideas. After that I sought ceramic and apparel factories as a partner to pro¬duce products for the company. With this strategy, I did not have to have much investment capital for setting up my own plants, but only my creativity," said Gullayanee.

Gullayanee, 45, used to be an employee of a multina¬tional trading firm for 10 years. She graduated from Assumption Commercial College. Although she did not directly graduate in design or arts, she decided to start her own business based on her passion for trees and pretty gifts.

"I created the products based on the 'Green World' concept as I foresaw that consumers want goodquality products that are environ¬mentfriendly with a nice design," she said.

The Liken brand guarantees products of a high standard, and every product is made with new creativity and care for the environ¬ment, added Gullayanee.

The company's domestic sales grew 50 per cent this year as people's awareness of the environment increased. Many customers planted more trees in beautiful small gardens decorated by Liken. Sales of the company grew sharply this year. The firm believes in creating new designs and fabric shopping bags based on its 'green world' concept to serve increasing demand from customers.

Despite facing counterfeit prob¬lems, Liken products are difficult to copy as the firm creates new prod¬ucts every day.

"Although some of the company's products were copied in China, the creativity of our new designs have helped retain customers. We have the brand and the service to guarantee buyers" said Gullayanee.