I am starting a new series on our blog NEWS.
Why does SIDO’s Hohtai (bandage) underwear insist on Japanese culture?
The first installment explores the origins of this commitment.
For about 20 years during my time as a corporate employee, I worked as a buyer and product planner at Senshukai, a pioneer in mail-order retail.
The president at the time, Tsunemasa Takai, was a charismatic leader who started a subscription service for "Kokeshi" dolls aimed at working women across Japan.
He was a man who deeply pursued the very best of Japan.
That philosophy was passed down to the employees, and together with manufacturers all over Japan, we shaped the things women truly wanted, one by one.
The purchasing department where I worked was a place that built products hand-in-hand with manufacturers.
I would visit factories, talk with the presidents, finalize quality standards with the factory managers, and hold repeated discussions with the on-site staff regarding inspection methods.
What surprised me time and again in those settings was the professionalism of the factory workers.
Long before I could even point anything out, they were paying attention to minute details we hadn't even imagined, thoroughly managing every aspect of quality.
No matter which factory I visited across Japan, that level of consciousness never wavered.
Manufacturers were competing with each other at that very high level.
I was truly moved...
The high quality of Japanese products exists precisely because they are constantly competing at this high level of consciousness.
So, why insist on Japanese quality despite the costs involved?
To be honest, there was a time when I was told by many to "make SIDO’s Hohtai underwear cheaper," and I reluctantly considered overseas production.
However, it simply could not be done.
No matter how detailed the instructions I gave, or how much information I disclosed, it was impossible to produce anything at the same standard as the bandage fabric made in Japan.
Japanese factories possess absolute, highly-differentiated, and sophisticated quality standards.
Ever since Japan was called the "Land of the Rising Sun," the Japanese people have been honing their craftsmanship through constant ingenuity. I believe it is my role through SIDO’s Hohtai underwear to pass this spirit and these sophisticated, absolute techniques on to the next generation.
Japanese technical prowess is undoubtedly the best in the world.
This quality must never be lost, and it is something that should be passed on along with the spirit behind it.
Even if the price is high, I will continue to deliver only products of a quality I am genuinely convinced of.
That is what I must continue to do.
SIDO’s Hohtai underwear is of absolute quality.
I am proud to say it is the best underwear in the world.
After wearing it for a few years, you will understand.
"Oh, it's matured."
The sensation of raw denim becoming comfortable and familiar as you wear it—
the same thing happens with Hohtai underwear~.
I will tell you more about that next time~.
Well, those who have been wearing them for a long time probably already know...
For those who don't, please give them a try.