CEO's Thoughts
What started the project
Nice to meet you! My name is Sugano, the project representative.
In 2019, I finally got to live with two rescued cats, and now I spend every day as their perfect cat servant.
The project was started when I saw this sleeping figure.
This guy looks so vulnerable and sloppy, but also incredibly happy.
This cat was originally rescued after getting stuck in a ditch in the park and becoming weak. For the first few months after I got him, he was frightened and sleeping in hiding, but now he looks like this.
He will sleep on my lap, but if he doesn't like my touch he will pretend to bite.
Seeing them sleeping like this made me feel happy, but at the same time, it also gave me an indescribable feeling that there are still so many cats in Japan who cannot sleep defenselessly like this.
So, as the manager of a manufacturing company, I wondered if there was something I could do, and so I launched this project.
Fortunately, all members of our company are obedient feline servants, and we even have "cat cafe visits" as part of our employee benefits.
In other words, they are undoubtedly the strongest and most optimal members.
About Charity
Here is my take on charity...
What do you think about charity?
Fundraising during emergencies such as disasters, supporting people suffering from poverty, donating to various causes, etc. Roughly speaking, "good deeds"
We hear about it on a daily basis, but for some reason it feels out of the ordinary.
In fact, I am one of them.
As for me, I'm a cynical person who can't help but wonder how the donations are being used and how much impact they have.
That aside, in terms of the amount of money raised, Japan is a latecomer in terms of charity compared to other countries around the world.
See a Gallup poll (outdated from 2015) covering 145 countries (percentage of people who made a donation, volunteered time, or helped a stranger in the last month)
While developed countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada are in the top 10, Japan comes in 102nd place, which is by no means a good result.
This is not because Japanese people are cold or uninterested in others, but rather, I believe that Japanese people are a nation that values obligation and human feelings.
If so, what kind of drawbacks are there?
The mission of this project was to first research the current state of charity in Japan, then independently identify any disadvantages that we could think of and transform them into advantages.
Conversion of Charity Disadvantages
Here are some of the disadvantages that I consider to be:
1. The use of the support funds is unclear
Proposal: By creating a system that allows purchasers to directly support recipients, they will be able to get a real sense of support.
2. The amount of donations is small compared to the product price (most places only have a donation rate of 2% to 5%)
Proposal: Set the donation rate at around 10% of the product price (to be funded by reducing manufacturing costs, including design costs, and advertising costs).
3. The products in the charity project are not worth the price
Proposal: By gathering sponsors, we can offer a more valuable price than regular products. Materials: With the cooperation of leather and metal fittings manufacturers, which account for a large part of the material cost, we can purchase high-quality materials at low prices. Advertising: With the cooperation of industry publications and famous cat lovers, we can spread the word about the project without spending on advertising. Production: Our cat-loving designers and craftsmen in our own workshop create the products with an excessive love of cats.
4. Design
Proposal: As someone who specializes in unique designs for their own brand, as well as designing for other brands, they set the theme as "sophisticated, ageless designs." This is also recommended for people who like cats but find cat goods too cute.
5. Many charities are one-off events and feel out of the ordinary
Proposal: We believe that business success equals continuous charity. We want to continue to rescue as many cats as possible by being creative and ingenious so that we can become familiar with as many people as possible on a daily basis.
And other things.
It took countless efforts and planning, and a year of planning, before we are now able to unveil this project.
As I mentioned earlier, I view this project as a business.
There will likely be both positive and negative opinions about this idea, but it's not just a nice idea; I believe that the time and money you can spend, the connections you can make, and the trust that comes with it - all of these things - are overwhelmingly advantageous in business compared to personal life.
And I believe this method will save the most cats.
As a cat servant,
As manufacturing professionals,
By creating and continuing to evolve our own unique form of charity,
I hope that I can deliver this to as many people as possible.
May all cats have plenty of free time to sleep.
Waji Co., Ltd.
Representative Director: Yuki Kanno