World Balance

World Balance is a Philippine sportswear brand established in 1980 by Arsenio Chong, Armani Chong, and Sin Chong. The business began as World Balance International Incorporated in Caloocan and developed into one of the Philippines' established domestic manufacturers and sellers of athletic footwear, casual shoes, sandals, and apparel. Its proposition is built around accessible pricing, practical performance features, and products designed for everyday Philippine use rather than an exclusively premium or specialist-athlete audience. The brand's footwear portfolio spans performance-oriented and athleisure shoes, lifestyle sneakers, sandals, and school- and office-oriented footwear. Its Bounce pad and Terrasoft families are associated with different sole-foam constructions and are used across performance and casual products. World Balance has also broadened its appeal through licensed and collaborative lifestyle ranges, including Disney, Star Wars, Secret Fresh, and Smiley World products. Alongside footwear, it sells everyday apparel such as shirt-jackets, windbreakers, long-sleeved shirts, track pants, hoodies, and sweaters. Family involvement has remained important to the company. In 2006, Barnaby Chong, a member of the founding family’s next generation, became president and chief executive officer, while other family members assumed key roles. In 2018, the corporate entity changed its name from World Balance International, Inc. to CHG Global, Inc. The change reflected a broader business structure and diversification beyond the World Balance label, including the development of additional brands and services. One notable extension of the business is EasySoft, a sister brand launched in 2013. EasySoft footwear uses Vicrotech Material, described as waterproof, flexible, durable, and shock-absorbing. Much of the range consists of black shoes positioned for school and office use and as an alternative to traditional leather footwear. This gives the wider group a presence in practical, uniform-compatible footwear as well as sports and lifestyle products. World Balance also participates in Philippine sports and entertainment marketing. It provides licensed merchandise associated with the Philippine Basketball Association and has sponsored Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. Basketball player Scottie Thompson has been identified as a brand ambassador. The brand has additionally appeared in the sponsorship roster of the Binibining Pilipinas pageant franchise, including support for athletic footwear supplied to some pageant candidates. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company announced that portions of its manufacturing capacity would be converted to produce face masks. The initiative was later expanded to include protective apparel, demonstrating a temporary move beyond the brand's usual footwear and clothing categories. World Balance remains primarily a Philippine sportswear and lifestyle brand, with its identity rooted in local manufacturing, family ownership and management, accessible products, and partnerships with nationally visible sports and pageant properties.

World Balance was established in 1980 in Caloocan, Philippines, by Arsenio Chong, Armani Chong, and Sin Chong. The founding business operated as World Balance International Incorporated and built its identity around the manufacture and sale of footwear for the Philippine market. Over time, the company expanded from athletic shoes into sandals, casual footwear, apparel, and lifestyle products, becoming a significant locally based sportswear manufacturer. The company’s development combined product diversification with family continuity. In 2006, Barnaby Chong, one of the founders’ sons, assumed the roles of president and chief executive officer. Other members of the Chong family also took important positions in the organization. This transition represented the movement of operational leadership to a younger generation while preserving the family connection to the enterprise. World Balance broadened its brand architecture in 2013 with the introduction of EasySoft. The sister brand focused on shoes made with Vicrotech Material, a material described as waterproof, flexible, durable, and shock-absorbing. EasySoft products, many of them black and suitable for school or office settings, gave the wider group a practical alternative to conventional leather footwear. The launch also showed that the company was using separate brand identities to address different consumer needs. Within World Balance itself, the footwear range developed in several directions. Performance and athleisure products included Bounce pad and Terrasoft lines, whose names refer to the foam technologies used in their soles. The company also pursued fashion-oriented demand through lifestyle sneakers and licensed products connected with Disney, Star Wars, Secret Fresh, and Smiley World. Apparel became another important category, covering shirt-jackets, windbreakers, long-sleeved shirts, track pants, hoodies, and sweaters. In 2018, World Balance International, Inc. changed its corporate name to CHG Global, Inc. The renaming signaled that the parent organization had diversified beyond the original World Balance operation into other brands and services. World Balance continued as a consumer-facing brand within that broader structure. The company has maintained visibility through Philippine sports and cultural partnerships. It has supplied licensed Philippine Basketball Association merchandise, sponsored Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, and used basketball player Scottie Thompson as a brand ambassador. It also joined the sponsorship roster of the Binibining Pilipinas franchise, including the provision or sponsorship of athletic footwear for some candidates. These associations reinforced the brand’s local identity and connected its products with sport, competition, and public events. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the company announced that portions of its manufacturing facilities would be repurposed to make face masks. The effort was subsequently expanded to protective apparel. This was a temporary broadening of manufacturing activity beyond the company’s normal footwear and everyday clothing portfolio and reflected the response of a domestic manufacturer to pandemic-era demand. World Balance is therefore best understood as a Philippine sports and lifestyle brand within the CHG Global group. Its history is characterized by family-founded ownership and management, gradual category expansion, the creation of sister-brand architecture, local sports and pageant partnerships, and an emphasis on functional and relatively accessible products.

1. 2020Pandemic production response

   Some manufacturing facilities were converted to make face masks, with production later expanded to protective apparel.

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2. 2018Corporate name changes to CHG Global

   World Balance International, Inc. was renamed CHG Global, Inc. to reflect diversification into other brands and services.

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3. 2013EasySoft is launched

   The company introduced its sister brand EasySoft, which uses Vicrotech Material in practical footwear.

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4. 2006Barnaby Chong assumes executive leadership

   Barnaby Chong became president and chief executive officer, while other family members took key positions in the business.

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5. 1980World Balance is founded

   Arsenio Chong, Armani Chong, and Sin Chong established World Balance International Incorporated in Caloocan, Philippines.

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Accessible, locally established sportswear and lifestyle footwear for everyday consumers, combining practical performance features with casual fashion and Philippine sports partnerships.

• Performance and athleisure footwearAthletic footwear

  World Balance produces performance-oriented and athleisure shoes for exercise, active daily use, and casual wear. The category includes the Bounce pad and Terrasoft families, which are named for the foam constructions used in their soles. The products extend the brand beyond basic casual shoes while retaining its emphasis on accessible, practical sportswear.

• Lifestyle sneakersLifestyle footwear

  The brand’s lifestyle sneaker range is designed for fashion and everyday use rather than only athletic performance. It has included licensed and collaborative lines associated with Disney, Star Wars, Secret Fresh, and Smiley World. These products help World Balance address consumers seeking recognizable entertainment or design properties in casual footwear.

• ApparelSportswear apparel

  World Balance makes everyday sports and casual apparel, including snap-button shirt-jackets, windbreakers, long-sleeved shirts, track pants, hoodies, and sweaters. The range supports coordinated athleisure dressing and extends the brand’s role from footwear specialist to broader sportswear provider.

• EasySoftPractical footwear2013

  EasySoft is a sister brand launched in 2013. Its shoes use Vicrotech Material, described as waterproof, flexible, durable, and shock-absorbing. Many products are black and intended for school or office settings, where they provide a practical alternative to conventional leather shoes.

• Protective apparel and face masksProtective apparel2020

  During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company adapted part of its manufacturing capacity to produce face masks and subsequently protective apparel. These items represented a pandemic-related extension of manufacturing rather than the brand’s traditional core of footwear, sportswear, and casual clothing.

• Philippine Basketball Association licensing and sponsorship

  Philippines

  World Balance has provided licensed Philippine Basketball Association merchandise and sponsored Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. Basketball player Scottie Thompson has been associated with the brand as an ambassador.

  Outcome. The partnership strengthened the brand’s connection with Philippine basketball and local sports audiences.

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• Binibining Pilipinas sponsorship

  Philippines

  World Balance joined the sponsorship roster of the Binibining Pilipinas pageant franchise and supported athletic footwear for some candidates.

  Outcome. The activity associated the brand with a prominent Philippine pageant platform and its candidates.

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• 2020Conversion of manufacturing capacity for pandemic suppliesStrategy

  The COVID-19 pandemic created urgent demand for face masks and protective equipment.

  What changed. The company converted some manufacturing facilities to produce face masks and expanded the effort to protective apparel.

  Aftermath. The move temporarily broadened the company’s manufacturing output beyond footwear and ordinary apparel.

  Source
• 2018Change of corporate identity to CHG GlobalStrategy

  The original corporate name no longer represented the company’s wider portfolio of brands and services.

  What changed. World Balance International, Inc. was renamed CHG Global, Inc., while World Balance continued as a consumer brand.

  Aftermath. The change established a broader group structure around World Balance and related activities.

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• 2013Creation of the EasySoft sister brandProduct launch

  The company sought to extend its footwear portfolio into practical school- and office-oriented shoes using Vicrotech Material.

  What changed. World Balance launched EasySoft as a sister brand focused on durable, flexible, water-resistant, shock-absorbing footwear.

  Aftermath. EasySoft gave the broader CHG Global business a distinct position in practical everyday footwear.

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• 2020Manufacturing facilities converted to face-mask production

  In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company announced that some manufacturing facilities would produce face masks and later protective apparel.

  Other
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• 2018World Balance corporate entity renamed CHG Global

  World Balance International, Inc. was renamed CHG Global, Inc. as the business expanded its corporate scope to encompass additional brands and services.

  Other
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• 2013World Balance launches EasySoft sister brand

  The company introduced EasySoft, a sister footwear brand using Vicrotech Material, promoted for its water resistance, flexibility, durability, and shock absorption.

  Product launch
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1. World Balance