Joe and Muay, founders of SARAN JEANS, a denim brand that understands Thai body shapes, open up about their journey from bankruptcy to selling one million pairs, and expanding from online to over a hundred department store branches nationwide.
Many fashion lovers who enjoy online shopping are likely familiar with the name “SARAN JEANS,” a Thai denim brand founded by Muay Saranrat Sakdapisitkul and Joe Watcharapong Klangchanee. Today, we delve into the inspiring story behind the brand’s success—how it overcame challenges to reach sales surpassing one million pairs and expanded from online sales to hundreds of offline branches across the country.
Joe recounted that SARAN JEANS’ origin spans three generations, starting about 10 years ago by selling jeans sourced from Pratunam online. They then shifted to creating their own brand named “MUAYY” (Muay’s label jeans), before rebranding to “SARAN” in 2022, using Muay’s real name.
SARAN JEANS’ uniqueness stems from a deep understanding of Thai customers’ pain points. Muay, who oversees patterns and design, explained that international standard jeans brands often don’t cater specifically to Thai body types. Thai women with diverse physiques—such as curvier, petite, or those with hip issues—often struggle to find well-fitting jeans. The brand therefore produces jeans with various patterns designed specifically for Thai body shapes under the concept of “quality goods at affordable prices” to ensure accessibility for all.
Despite appearances, they once faced a major crisis. Joe revealed that in 2022 they declared bankruptcy after being defrauded of 135 million baht and incurred another 49 million baht in debt, leaving them with no assets.
Refusing to give up, they made a comeback on TikTok Shop. Muay led daily live sales with a "Shoppertainment" strategy emphasizing fun, lively, and friendly interaction, attracting over 80% new viewers during live streams. Combined with Flash Deal promotions to reward customers and partnerships for content creation, this generated massive brand awareness. By 2024, the brand grew rapidly, achieving sales of over one million pairs.
Following online success, leading department store Robinson invited SARAN JEANS to open branches. Although a dream come true, expanding offline involved high costs—about one million baht per branch for stock, furniture, and staff. When they first decided to enter malls, they had only 1.7 million baht in capital.
They also faced a “rite of passage” from established local brands during their first store opening in Buriram. However, thanks to product quality and persistence, Muay chose to stop live streaming online and sell in person at the store, eventually outselling all clothing brands in that mall on opening day.
A turning point came at the end of 2025 with a grand opening event at Central Rama 9 shopping center, featuring superstar “Aum Patchrapa.” The event caused a "mall-breaking" phenomenon, significantly boosting brand recognition and confidence among partners.
In just over a year, SARAN JEANS expanded to 125 branches nationwide. Their long-term goal is to reach 300 branches by 2027, but due to economic challenges, war, and rising oil costs, they have paused expansion plans this year to stabilize the business.
Rapid growth and numerous new branches require massive working capital. Having previously faced a crisis with no collateral for loans, the SME Credit Guarantee Corporation (บสย.) stepped in to fully guarantee loans, enabling the brand to access financial institutions. This funding supports production, inventory management, and branch expansion, underpinning today’s success.
Looking ahead, Joe and Muay aim to establish SARAN JEANS as a sustainable “basic” brand. Regardless of the years passing, when Thais seek quality, well-fitting, and affordable jeans, SARAN JEANS should always be the first brand that comes to mind.
This is the story of SARAN JEANS, a Thai brand that proves how deep customer understanding and resilience against obstacles can elegantly transform a business from its lowest point to a hundred-million-baht success.