D. SAMSON INDUSTRIES
Marking a landmark in the history of D. Samson Industries (DSI), the company won three prestigious awards at the 29th NCE Annual Export Awards 2021, the flagship event of the National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka (NCE), held at the Shangri-La Hotel on 21 January 2022, which recognised the finest exporters in the country.
DSI secured the Most Outstanding SME Exporter award and the prestigious Deshabandu Patrick Amarasinghe Memorial Challenge Trophy along with the Gold Award under the Medium category for Leather & Leather-based Products.
Established in 1962, DSI is a pioneer in manufacturing, retailing and exporting footwear. The company currently produces more than 30 million pairs of footwear annually at its manufacturing plant, which is accredited with ISO 9001:2015 system certification and meets social compliance audits such as Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA).
The company aims to cater to the growing global market for sustainable footwear by investing in resources and certifications, to meet international sustainable and ethical standards.
DSI has been successful in developing a sustainable product range: FSC certified natural rubber flip flops, organic rubber flip flops, vegan certified natural rubber flip flops, recycled rubber flip flops, GOTS certified canvas shoes with natural rubber soles, organic and vegan certified canvas shoes, FSC certified natural rubber boots with organic cotton lining and much more.
In addition, DSI is the only footwear manufacturer in Sri Lanka that holds the Disney Facility and Merchandise Authorization (FAMA) license, and is authorised to manufacture Disney, Marvel, Lucasfilm (Star Wars) and DC footwear.
DSI has a global reach supplying over 50 countries, and servicing renowned global brands such as H&M, Polo Ralph Lauren and Decathlon, via its own international offices in Australia, India, Dubai and the UK, thereby enabling it to cater to each global region.
The company owns two international footwear brands – viz. Lakeland, which is marketed in the UK; and Souls, which is merchandised in Australia.
“DSI has been instrumental in taking its homegrown brand Waves internationally with a global presence in over 10 countries. Waves flip flops are FSC certified natural rubber flip flops that are vegan, plastic-free, biodegradable and organic, making it the sustainable choice for many international clients,” says the Executive Director of DSI Samson Group Dilshan Rajapaksa.
Speaking about the achievement at the NCE Annual Export Awards, Group Managing Director Kasun Rajapaksa remarks: “At DSI, we focus on our strengths such as being an innovative, sustainable and ethical manufacturer that is quality conscious to capture the international market, and grow the business globally.
“Today, we celebrate the achievements of all team efforts that made it possible for DSI to be recognised as a global brand,” he adds.
Positioned as the largest footwear manufacturer in Sri Lanka, DSI counts over 3,000 employees in the footwear plants, while DSI Samson Group provides more than 10,000 direct jobs and 5,000 indirect jobs through subcontracting and support services across its 25 companies.
For more details about DSI footwear products, visit the website mentioned below. DSI is also active on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn as ‘DSI Footwear.’
