Some of the best business stories come from the most challenging times. Finn Cotton — the Philippines' fastest-growing sneaker brand — is one of them. Founded in September 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Finn Cotton went from a ₱1,000 online side hustle to a brand valued at over a million dollars, featured in every major Philippine media outlet and on national television.
The Beginning: A Sneaker Restorer Turns Entrepreneur
Before Finn Cotton existed, founder Paul was known as one of the best shoe restorers and customisers in the Philippines. Then the pandemic hit. Physical services shut down. But instead of waiting for things to go back to normal, Paul made a bold decision: he pivoted to e-commerce.
"Before the pandemic talaga, we were known as one of the best sneaker restorers and customizers in the country. When the pandemic hit, I decided to pivot my focus into e-commerce. Sobrang nag-boom e-commerce during the pandemic."
💡 KEY FACT: Finn Cotton was officially founded in September 2020 with a starting investment of approximately ₱1,000 (roughly $20 USD). The brand reached a valuation of over $1,000,000 within its first two years.
The Launch: One Design, Sold Out
"We started selling one design lang. Nagulat kami sobrang bumenta s'ya kaagad," Paul recalls.
The first Finn Cotton sneaker sold out faster than anyone expected. Within weeks, the brand had a growing following and DMs flooding in from all over the country.
The Breakthrough: PBA Rookie Draft Partnership
In just its seventh month, Finn Cotton became one of the sponsors of the PBA Season 46 Rookie Draft. Basketball hopefuls Joshua Torralba, RK Ilagan, Santi Santillan, Alec Stockton, Jerie Pingoy, and Anton Asistio wore Finn Cotton shoes on their biggest day.
The Media Wave: National Recognition
The press attention that followed was extraordinary. In just a matter of months, Finn Cotton was featured by:
- Spin PH — "Hip Filipino shoe brand Finn Cotton a hit during pandemic" (March 2021)
- Spot PH — lifestyle feature reaching millions of Filipino readers (April 2021)
- Esquire Philippines — fashion recognition as a brand to know (April 2021)
- Preview PH — included among the best locally made cute sneakers (July 2021)
- This Is Hype PH — "Finn Cotton Enters the Local Shoe Arena With a Bang"
- NET25, ANC (ABS-CBN News Channel), and TV5 — national television coverage
Read all media features and watch the TV segments →
The Growth: 150,000+ Customers and Counting
Today, Finn Cotton has served over 150,000 customers across the Philippines. The brand has expanded from pure e-commerce to physical retail stores at Ayala Malls Manila Bay and SM North EDSA. The Power-Up Collection, lifestyle sneakers, and sports shoes give every type of Filipino customer something to love.
What's Next for Finn Cotton
Finn Cotton's mission has always been the same: to build a Filipino sneaker brand that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the best in the world. In the next five years, the goal is to be one of the top sneaker brands in Asia — and based on the trajectory so far, there's no reason to doubt it.
