Swimwear with a Twist

Summer's here! Just wanted to share the interview I did on two inspiring young entrepreneurs,  Sawi Puyat-Perez and Liza Puyat, owners of Sun Fun and Play, retailer of export-quality swim wear. They have an outlet at the 3^rd Level, East Wing, Robinsons Galleria Mall, in Ortigas.

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Perez:  My mom went into the business of making swimwear 30 years ago. My brothers and sisters helped her with the business when she began exporting her products. That was the time she closed our local stores.

Puyat:  Sawi and I were never involved in the family business, although I wanted to have my own and do something meaningful with my life. I approached my sister because she took up business in college and resigned from her job after she got married.

DIVINE INSPIRATION

Puyat: Before I got the idea for our store, I prayed that I find a business that will provide a source of livelihood not just for me but for a lot of people. And then one day while sitting in my car an idea hit me: “Why don’t I sell bathing suits?” It’s a business I am familiar with. 

THE ‘SPF’ FACTOR

Puyat: We wanted a catchy name for the store that would also highlight the sun protection factor our products provide. The fabric we use for our bathing suit has a built-in ultraviolet ray protection. One already gets 50+ the UV protection just by wearing our swimsuit.

Perez: Since we started this business, we’ve discovered that swimming is a yearlong activity. We’re surprised to find that people go swimming even in the cold months of October to December.

QUALITY AT A LOW PRICE

Perez: We want to offer very affordable yet good quality swimwear. People are usually shocked when they look at the price tag because we don’t scrimp on quality. They’re the same products we sell abroad.

ONE-STOP SHOP

Puyat: Our store is a one-stop shop for the family. We carry items for men and women of all ages. We even have a line for plus-size women. We offer men’s board shorts and trunks, protective rash guards (skin tight shirts) for kids, swimwear with long sleeves for those who are averse to tan lines, one-piece suits with sleeves for kids, as well as suits for swimming lessons and competitive swimming.

VALUE FOR MONEY

Puyat: The buyers are getting the latest in designs and the best in sun protection from our store. We can offer the best prices because we keep our markups low and we get the best deals from our suppliers.

Perez: We concentrate on selling volume rather than put a huge mark up on a few items.

SLOW AND STEADY

Puyat: We are very conservative when it comes to expanding the business. Branching out too fast is like having too many babies and not being able to take care of all of them. We want to be hands-on so we can give good service.