Building a solution-based business model with functional legwear

「Establishing a position as a Personal Solution Company through essential wear」

「Against this backdrop, the group worked to optimize its business portfolio and rebuild its earnings base with the aim of realizing the 2030 vision, Personal Solution Company, set out in the Sixth Medium-Term Management Plan, N-Challenge 2027, announced on 3 February 2025.」

「The company also actively pursued mass-media promotional activities aimed at reaching consumers directly, including advertising Ha-kanai Kutsushita, which was a major hit the previous year, on train channels.」

「During the fiscal year, the company also actively pursued mass-media promotional activities aimed at reaching consumers directly, including airing television commercials for the universally designed socks Minna no Kutsushita in the Kyushu region.」

「In the mass-retail channel, the company negotiated trading terms in response to higher raw-material prices and procurement costs caused by the weaker yen, and pursued promotional activities including a PUMA merchandise giveaway campaign and television advertising in Kyushu for “Minna no Kutsushita,” universal-design socks that can be used with confidence. As a result, profit increased.」

「The new-style sock Ha-kanai Kutsushita SUASiC became a hit product, helped by the promotional effect of media coverage, contributing to higher sales.」

「In homewear, the company pursued sales expansion measures, including newly launching DAKS apron sales and opening a new HOUSE WEAR STUDIO bringing together homewear products centred on aprons and pyjamas. However, in-store sales struggled because of the decline in stay-at-home demand following the COVID-19 pandemic.」

「① Establishing a position as a Personal Solution Company through essential wear and rebuilding the department-store business」

「In the retail business, the company began selling Ha-kanai Kutsushita in May, following its favourable reception on the crowdfunding platform, and achieved steady sales, helped by its public-relations activities.」

「In the retail business, the company pursued new product development and marketing initiatives, including listing at the crowdfunding platform CAMPFIRE its Ha-kanai Kutsushita, a new type of sock made with the same yarn and knitting machines as ordinary socks but attached to shoes rather than worn on the feet.」

「In the wholesale business, the company focused on developing new demand by displaying the brand TOTONO, which is designed to regulate physical condition through effects such as far-infrared radiation, at byeASU, a specialist femtech store in Koshigaya Lake Town, and opening a concept shop dedicated to sleep products, including nightwear, legwear and sleep-related goods, on the bedding floor of Daimaru Sapporo.」

「As a measure to develop new demand, the company exhibited its original brand TOTONO at Femtech Fes! 2021, which brought together products addressing issues specific to women, and began new initiatives aimed at entering a growth market.」

「The company also began new initiatives aimed at entering growth markets, including exhibiting its femtech brand TOTONO at Femtech Fes! 2021, which brought together products addressing issues specific to women.」

「In its mail-order business, the company launched a trial campaign for the universally designed Minna no Kutsushita soft gauze socks in conjunction with newspaper advertising through Kutsushita Otodoke-bin, a catalogue mail-order service that accepts orders and enquiries by telephone and delivers to customers' homes, supporting customers who have difficulty visiting stores or are unfamiliar with online shopping. The product became a hit, selling 15,000 pairs under a single style number.」

「The company also focused on developing products in response to growing health awareness, including by beginning sales of its new brand, TOTONO, which uses functional materials and is designed to regulate physical condition through effects such as far-infrared radiation. In the retail business, the company pursued various measures to improve shopping convenience and enjoyment, and began full-scale sales of Minna no Kutsushita, universally designed socks developed in response to customers' various needs.」

「In the previous consolidated fiscal year, the company established Naigai Lab to build a database supporting the solutions business and develop socks, and obtained a license to manufacture and market medical devices. It will continue to promote the full-scale development of functional products in the medical-device field and focus on developing universally designed legwear that satisfies older people and people with disabilities, with the aim of enabling comfortable mobility for everyone.」

「With the aim of providing products that satisfy customers who had compromised on socks because of their differing physical characteristics, the company deepened development of the universally designed socks Minna no Kutsushita, including by holding sock fitting events at Mirairo House TOKYO, opened by Mirairo Inc. at the Marui Kinshicho store, and began sales through the Naigai online shop and other channels.」

「The company also began developing universally designed socks that would satisfy customers who had compromised on socks because of their differing physical characteristics, and joined Mirairo Inc.'s Mirairo House TOKYO, an information and交流 hub for diversity and inclusion opened at the Marui Kinshicho store.」

「The company established Naigai Lab, an initiative to build a database supporting the solutions business and develop socks, and obtained a license to manufacture and market medical devices. It will continue to promote the full-scale development of functional products in the medical-device field and focus on developing universally designed legwear that satisfies older people and people with disabilities, with the aim of enabling comfortable mobility for everyone.」

「The homewear business, now one year old, contributed to higher revenue as promotional activities such as providing costumes for TV dramas proved successful, along with initiatives such as proposing the Naigai Shop, featuring items from aprons and nightwear to socks, on the living floor.」

「The homewear business, launched in August 2018, contributed to higher revenue through promotional activities including proposals for the Naigai Shop, featuring coordinated items from aprons and nightwear to socks, as well as providing costumes for TV dramas.」

「④ Deepening the solutions business By combining customer information from the wholesale and retail businesses, digital marketing and Naigai Lab, the company will identify customers' latent needs in greater depth, further develop its legwear solutions business and expand its market presence.」

「In August, the company also launched its homewear business, offering aprons and nightwear and developing in-store sales, primarily through department stores.」

「The company decided to take over the business because introducing aprons and nightwear to the solution business, a strategic focus aimed at achieving a “healthy and comfortable lifestyle,” is expected to generate future synergies with its legwear business.」

「The company worked to expand the space allocated to product displays, including establishing dedicated sales areas for its products, while sales of solution products through magazine tie-ups contributed to in-store sales for both men's and women's products exceeding the previous year's results.」

「The company also began jointly developing high-performance shapewear and socks with Factory Japan Group Co., Ltd., which operates the “Ka・Ra・Da Factory” bodywork and pelvic adjustment salons, and jointly exhibited at the Health Expo held at Tokyo Big Sight. As part of the “solution-based business model,” it launched a new service called “Mono Talk,” which allows consumers to check word-of-mouth reviews and product information simply by scanning a product barcode.」

「For women's socks, the company strengthened promotional activities for the URUNA brand through tie-ups with magazines and worked to raise awareness of its solution products.」

「As part of the “solution-based business model,” the company launched a website providing Q&A content and information on foot health, began a two-way communication service with consumers, and exhibited at the Health & Beauty Goods EXPO, a specialized trade show for general merchandise distribution, to develop customers through new sales channels.」

「The full-scale rollout of the solution products also got off to a good start, with the number of stores carrying them tracking to plan and products such as toe-free socks and foot-cover products becoming hit products.」

「The company also built a “solution-based business model” to address consumers' various foot-related concerns through functional legwear, entered into a capital and business alliance with 砂山靴下株式会社, and began developing new products and technologies for the spring/summer 2017 selling season. These solution products were promoted through participation in the Gift Show held at Tokyo Big Sight, priority business discussions at the company's comprehensive trade show, and magazine coverage, receiving high praise from business partners.」

「To build a solution-based business model that addresses various foot-related concerns through functional legwear, the company entered into a capital and business alliance with 砂山靴下株式会社 and began developing new products and technologies. The solution products were exhibited and discussed as key products at the Gift Show held at Tokyo Big Sight and at the company's comprehensive trade show for spring and summer 2017, which focused on NB products, and received high praise.」