The authentic Kiwi Jandal is owned, manufactured and distributed by a one-man company run by 70-year-old Baron Sandford of Katikati in the Bay of Plenty.

There are a thousand imitators – but only one authentic New Zealand Jandal. Now, for the first time in half a century, the man who owns the trademark to the Jandal is launching a new model on the market: the strapped Jandal.

Only Baron Sandford can truly claim to be able to 'handle the jandal'. After all, he and his factory manufacture every single pair.

The 78-year-old from the small Bay of Plenty town of Katikati holds the trademark for that icon of Kiwiana summer, and any-occasion party attire. He is passionate about maintaining the quality label to the Kiwi-brand and "cheap rubbish" knock offs.

CHRISTEL YARDLEY/STUFF Tyron Noble was happy with his traditional Jandals this week. But Baron Sandford, the owner of the Jandal trademark, is preparing to launch his first new model in more than half a century: the Jandal with a velcro back strap.

Just this month, he lay awake in bed at night listening to talkback callers argue with radio host Marcus Lush show about the merits of their jandals. One pensioner called in complaining of a broken strap – so Sandford tracked him down. "I sent him two or three replacement straps," he said.

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Sandford said the true kiwi Jandal, which he owns the trademark for, has not changed more than 55 years and still uses the same molecular formula the first pairs did. While his formula has stayed the same he says the market has been flooded with imitations.

CHRISTEL YARDLEY/STUFF Kiwis love their jandals – but not all of them are wearing the real deal like Tyron Noble.

"A lot of people think they own Jandals but in fact they do not," he said. "People see a cheap $3 pair that look like jandals at Countdown and think they've got a good deal. Jandals have a sturdy rubber sole that is very difficult to bend. The others are dangerous rubbish they won't last."

Occasionally he'll fire off a legal letter to other companies like Havaianas or Lastseason.co.nz when they describe their thonged rubber sandals as "jandals".

This weekend, in a surprise announcement, Sandford let slip there would be a new Jandal this summer, the first new product in decades. The new "J4" will feature a velcro back strap making it near impossible to lose your jandals in the surf or running. The J1 is the classic jandal while the J2 is just for women. The J3, just for men.

CHRISTEL YARDLEY/STUFF Tyron Noble models some authentic Jandals on the boardwalk at Tauranga.

"We have a lot of customers in the Pacific Islands and they like to climb on rocks wearing them," he said.

"I said I'll make them a jandal with a back strap. The new 'J4' will lock the foot in place and will have an dual density rubber sole."

But how did Sandford come to own a piece of kiwi history? Truth is stranger than fiction in that regard as he acquired the company as Brierly Investments was carving up Skellerup Group, who used to produce jandals in New Zealand in the 1950s.

Sandford had spent 30 years working for the Skellerup Group.

"A Joseph Yock [the family that held the patent for the product] approached Skellerup as we had the biggest floor press that could make the sheeting for them," Sandford said.

The Jandal retained its market dominance largely due to import restrictions designed to protect local businesses like Skellerup. "When that was lifted we started to get all sorts of rubbish from all over the world imported."

﻿As Skellerup sold off its divisions Sandford found himself out of a job but the board threw him a lifeline in the form of the Skellerup Footwear LTD PVD (Plastics Divisions).

The deal would see him hold the right to produce Jandals and plastic gumboots.

"It was in a bad state," he said. "I got a call saying we had just lost our last gumboot customer in New Zealand, it was a freezing works, do you still want to buy the company?"

Sandford took on the challenge and soon carved out a market for his gumboots and Jandals. Sandford eventually sold off the gumboot division.

Sandford is tight-lipped about how many Jandals he sells a year, but says it increases by about 27 per cent every year.

Despite his growing business the Jandal king admits he might "die in the saddle". None of his four children has followed him into the family business.

"I took the job on as a hobby more than anything but it's a hobby that takes up 50 hours a week," he said. "My children are not interested in taking it on."

Even with no heirs to the throne the trademark will be safe if he does indeed, "die in the saddle".

"If a trademark owner dies, their trademark becomes part of their estate," an Intellectual Property Office spokeswoman said. "Once registered, trademarks do not come up for review but they can be renewed every 10 years, however they can also be challenged by third parties for matters such as invalidity or non-use."