From a Textile Production Site to a Towel Production Site

It has only been about 170 years since the invention of the towel in the world. An importer from Osaka introduced it to Japan in 1872, and towel production started around 1887. Towels quickly gained popularity, and now Imabari and Senshu are the main production sites.

Imabari had been a textile production site since the Edo Period. Entering the Meiji Period, less expensive imported cotton caused local cotton production to stagnate in the area, but the textile industry continued. Former producers of flannel (woolen textiles) in Imabari began making towels, and so Imabari became a towel production site.

Around 2001, the towel manufacturers kontex and FUJITAKA, along with our company, opened a store in Shirokane, Tokyo. At that time, the Mayor of Imabari said, “Imabari City needs to do something since our private companies are toiling,” and a collaborative shop between the Towel Association and the city was opened in Ginza in 2003. However, skyrocketing land prices in Ginza right after its opening made it difficult to maintain the business, resulting in closure of the store after three years. After that, as a new initiative, our local organization registered the trademarks of “Imabari Towel” and the “Imabari Towel Brand Mark.” They gained popularity and promoted recognition of the Imabari towel brand.

We used to manufacture many licensed brand OEM (original equipment manufacturer) products for many years. Profits from this enabled us in 1999 to flexibly develop our concepts earlier than anyone else.

Listening to the Voice of the Customer. The Representative Personally Checks Email from Customers

With the opening of the Setouchi Shimanami Expressway in 1999, for the first time we launched our own brand “IKT.” We didn’t yet have a clear vision at that time, but I thought that an age of organic would come soon.

Our company website was made in 1995. With my email address as a contact address, I receive every inquiry from the customers. I still check emails from customers today. Before I joined my family business, I had worked for the audio brand “Technics” at Matsushita Electric Industrial (now Panasonic). A senior worker who trained me was the best marketer. My first job after joining the company was to check all the customer feedback cards. I was taught unequivocally to value the consumer perspective.

Since I was completely new to towel making, I eagerly studied everything about it. In two years, I developed a system for designing towels. All other manufacturers at that time were still manually operated. In order to differentiate us from other companies, I wanted us to be able to design on our own. I also wanted to establish our own brand with sophisticated quality, so our products would be cherished by consumers for a long time. Unfortunately, when we first launched our brand, there was no response at all. We thought our organic products might be more appealing to American consumers, and participated in an exhibition in the U.S. We focused on organic quality and intricate designs that utilized the best of Imabari’s textile techniques, but this also failed. To our surprise, the towels with simple designs were the most highly appreciated.

Our products had colors that could not be found in American towels, and we received a comment that “Ikeuchi’s colors are happy colors.” Our factories were already 100% operated by wind power, focusing on eco-friendly production processes, and this also accounted for our success.

A craftswoman fixing broken threads. Based on a flashing indicator light, she finds a broken thread among as many as 4000 threads and fixes it. She passed an internal examination by the Imabari Towel Industrial Association this year, becoming one of only a few women who have passed the exam.

Each product is visually checked at the final inspection. Bath towels are collaboratively checked by two people. Each thread that protrudes during the manufacturing process is cut by thread cutting scissors into a uniform length. “The high inspection quality is proof of the quality of the towel manufacturers.”

The entire process, from sowing cotton seeds in the field to the final product, can be seen by scanning the QR code. Most products shipped after December 2019 are equipped with this QR code. “We are the only towel producer in the world that provides traceability for towels,” said Mr. Ikeuchi.

We Might Head Somewhere Totally Unexpected as Soon as You Take Your Eyes Off of Us—The Challenging Spirit Attracts Fans

At that time, our brand name in the U. S. was “IKT,” whereas in Japan, it was called “Ikeuchi Towel” or “Wind Woven Towel” because our products were manufactured by wind power. I wanted to unify these three. We solicited Mr. Kenmei Nagaoka, who works for D & DEPARTMENT PROJECT, for the rebranding. The only condition I gave him was the removal of the name “Ikeuchi.” Nevertheless, Mr. Nagaoka proposed “IKEUCHI ORGANIC.” At first, I couldn’t understand why “Ikeuchi” remained, in spite of my only condition (laughs). Mr. Nagaoka said, “I’ve researched a lot about organics, but your company’s idea is different from others—it’s Ikeuchi-style organic.” Our logo is yellow, which is uncommon for organic manufacturers, but this also constitutes the uniqueness of IKEUCHI ORGANIC.

On March 1, 2014, Ikeuchi Towel Factory was reborn as IKEUCHI ORGANIC. At the same time, our company obtained Class I certification to the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX, which certifies that all of our products are free of any harmful substances.

Since we were participating in an exhibition in New York in February 2014, we held a party prior to that in Japan to celebrate our company’s new name. I thought we needed a joke since it was an American party, so I said, “Next, we’ll try to develop a towel that is edible by babies,” and then people unexpectedly loved it. So that’s how it was set as our corporate mission (laughs). But this further clarified our direction. In order to elevate the level of safety, we obtained ISO 22000 certification for the food industry. Naturally, we thought traceability was also necessary.

I don’t think we have fully satisfied our customers just yet. Our customers remain fans because our concept continuously develops. We might head somewhere totally unexpected as soon as you take your eyes off us. We’ll keep transforming like that. A towel that is edible for babies may still be a joke right now. However, there is a good chance that we might live in an era in 60 years where clothing can be swallowed without causing any harm.

This year, I told a field trip participant, “Please come back after 60 years to see if this old man lied to you (laughs).” Then the student said, “No problem, I’ll join your company and work properly for it.” I was happiest this year to hear that.

About 20 years have passed since experiencing the decline of the towel industry in Imabari. Today, Imabari’s towel manufacturers, including IKEUCHI ORGANIC, are proud of their towel production, resulting in revival of the industry. Imabari’s towels will reach more people and softly wrap their daily lives. I was able to clearly envision the future of IKEUCHI ORGANIC, which continues to create exceptionally unique products and attract many fans.