Spinning yarn: From Tokyo to the world MARUYASU CORPORATION
Website: MARUYASU CORPORATION
Category: Japanese Apparel & Textiles
Fashionable not functional
Maruyasu Corporation CEO Hiroyuki Okazaki
Maruyasu Corporation is one of Tokyo’s only yarn companies, remaining from a time when the industry thrived in the city. The firm first took root in the area of Ryogoku some 60 years ago, among a plethora of vendors selling socks, underwear and other clothing products. But the folks at Maruyasu Corporation displayed that characteristic forward-thinking that has been key to their success over the decades. They broke away from the norm and began producing yarn targeted more toward the fashionable than the functional. With skills and experience acquired from working with larger apparel firms and major retail stores, they set out to change industry perceptions and offer a fresh variety of styles and textures. With passion, technique and creativity, Maruyasu spun a name for itself as the principal purveyor of innovative Japanese yarn.
Following a fresh thread
Inventive yarn for all seasons-and tastes
To keep up with the times, the company has to always keep evolving. That’s why third-generation CEO Hiroyuki Okazaki is always ahead of the game. The company motto is “high-quality, groundbreaking yarn since 1955,” and Okazaki is all about educating people on the value of quality material. The expertise of Maruyasu’s specialists allows them to keep pumping out new products that suit present and future market tastes. As a result, they come out with no fewer than 30 brand new yarns every season. In the industry as a whole, the number of skilled workers has sadly declined due to overseas mass production, meaning the loss of valuable knowledge and crucial techniques. But Maruyasu has managed to thrive in a market dominated by imports. Not only does it provide unparalleled quality, but it also offers the priceless skills and experience which enable the company to act as a consultant to a wide range of clients.
Weaving future fashion
The threads of future fashion
To bring quality Tokyo yarn to the rest of the world, Maruyasu launched a women’s fashion brand named Punto D’oro, and has exhibited their knitwear at trade shows in Paris since 2012. The Maruyasu chiefs were motivated by a desire to raise global consumers’ awareness regarding the possibilities of quality yarn. In Japan, Maruyasu provides raw yarn and consultancy services to large apparel companies as well as many renowned fashion designers. It now aims to deliver this service overseas, where it has already received the accolade of working with top European fashion firms.
Maruyasu original frill and tulle cardigan
After broadening awareness for their quality yarn in foreign climes, the Maruyasu folks seek to deliver their raw yarn to fashion designers in the West. With their unique “high-quality, groundbreaking yarn,” they’re hoping to work together with clients and thus contribute to the fashion of the future. This Japanese spirit of constantly pursuing perfection, plus a balanced blend of traditional expertise and innovative forward-thinking, have made Maruyasu what it is today-and have built a platform for a future threaded through with quality Japanese yarn.
Website: MARUYASU CORPORATION
(Courtesy: JETRO)
JETRO, or the Japan External Trade Organization, is a government-related organization that works to promote mutual trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world. Originally established in 1958 to promote Japanese exports abroad, JETRO’s core focus in the 21st century has shifted toward promoting foreign direct investment into Japan and helping small to medium size Japanese firms maximize their global export potential.
