Pleats Mama
Pleats Mama is a Seoul-based sustainable fashion brand founded in 2018 that designs and sells knit pleated bags and accessories made from recycled PET, fishing nets, and waste textiles, serving eco-conscious consumers through DTC e-commerce, a Seoul flagship, and 50+ brand collaborations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersSeoul, South Korea
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Pleats Mama does
Pleats Mama (legal entity: Song Gang International Co., Ltd., 주식회사 송강인터내셔날) is a Seoul-based sustainable fashion brand founded in February 2018 by CEO Wang Jong-mi. The company designs, manufactures, and sells knit pleated bags and accessories — including shoulder bags, tote bags, 2-way bags, cross bags, backpacks, and small leather/accessory goods — using yarns derived from recycled PET bottles, discarded fishing nets, waste textiles, and ocean-bound plastics. Its claimed manufacturing differentiators are the world's first commercialization of 100% recycled spandex (co-developed with Hyosung TNC) and a zero-waste whole-garment knitting technique.
The company's supply chain is organized around an Eco-Alliance partnership network comprising Hyosung TNC (yarns), NETSPA (fishing nets), JeCLEAN (discarded beddings), Hae Dong Trading (PET collection), and UNI YARN (dyeing), with upstream material sourcing formalized through MOUs such as the Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority marine plastic project. Revenue is generated through three streams: direct-to-consumer e-commerce via pleatsmama.com, en.pleatsmama.com, and jp.pleatsmama.com; physical retail through the EE UT Samcheong flagship in Seoul plus pop-up locations; and B2B/wholesale collaborations with over 50 partner brands including Olive Young, L7 Hotel, Hyundai, MUJI, Innisfree, Blue Bottle Coffee, Samsung Electronics, and LINE FRIENDS.
The brand pursues an internationalization strategy that includes a localized Japanese storefront, worldwide shipping, and exhibition presence (e.g., Milan Loves Seoul at 10 Corso Como in 2024). The company is privately held with 1-10 employees and approximately $4.3 million in disclosed funding across two 2021 rounds (HYOSUNG TNC and Insight Equity Partners). It has no disclosed revenue or GMV figures and no evidence of AI/ML capabilities or external institutional control beyond the founder.
Pleats Mama firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pleats Mama
- Legal name
- 주식회사 송강인터내셔날 (Song Gang International Co., Ltd.)
- Website
- https://pleatsmama.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Pleats Mama is a Seoul-based sustainable fashion brand founded in 2018 that designs and sells knit pleated bags and accessories made from recycled PET, fishing nets, and waste textiles, serving eco-conscious consumers through DTC e-commerce, a Seoul flagship, and 50+ brand collaborations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pleats Mama industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Fashion Accessories
- NAICS
- Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599), Luggage and Leather Goods Retailers (458320)
- SIC
- Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Handbags & Purses (CRAAAJAA)
Keywords
Where Pleats Mama is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seoul
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices4 records
Markets served
Pleats Mama business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Product Sales: Direct sales of sustainable pleated bags and accessories through e-commerce platforms and flagship stores. Product categories include shoulder bags, tote bags, 2-way bags, cross bags, backpacks, and accessories. One-time purchase model with occasional promotional discounts.
- Wholesale and B2B: B2B collaborations with brands for co-branded products, hotel amenity programs, and corporate merchandise. Sales contact available for wholesale inquiries.
- International Export: Overseas export business through dedicated sales team ([email protected]), serving international markets beyond Korea and Japan.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | One-time | First Purchase Incentive - 5,000 KRW credit |
| Freemium | One-time | First Purchase Incentive - $5 credit |
| Freemium | One-time | First Purchase Incentive - 500 yen coupon |
| Unit Pricing | One-time | Promotional Discount - 10% off crochet items |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels8 records
Pleats Mama product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pleats Mama designs, manufactures, and sells knit pleated fashion accessories — primarily shoulder bags, tote bags, 2Way bags, cross bags, and backpacks — along with pouches, laptop pouches, inner bags, key rings, and ocean badges. All products are constructed from recycled and eco-friendly materials (recycled PET bottles, discarded fishing nets, ocean-bound plastics, and bio-based inputs) using the company's signature whole garment knitting technique. Sales occur through direct-to-consumer e-commerce (Korea, Japan, English/global) and Seoul flagship retail stores, supplemented by B2B wholesale, brand collaborations, and international export.
Product overview
Pleats Mama is a Korean sustainable fashion brand that manufactures eco-friendly knit pleated bags and accessories. The company's core product line consists of shoulder bags, tote bags, 2Way bags, cross bags, and backpacks, all featuring the brand's signature pleated knit design made from recycled PET bottles and sustainable materials. The product portfolio includes main bag categories along with accessories such as pouches, laptop pouches, inner bags, and key rings. All products are designed with sustainability at their core, utilizing recycled materials including PET bottles, wasted fishing nets, and ocean-bound plastics, with the brand's first product launched in February 2018 as Korea's first knit pleated bag made from eco-friendly yarn.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Shoulder Bags (숄더백) Pleats Mama's signature line of knit pleated shoulder bags made from recycled PET bottles and eco-friendly yarn, featuring a foldable, lightweight pleated knit structure for versatile everyday carry.
- Tote Bags (토트백) Eco-friendly tote bags in the brand's signature pleated knit design, made from recycled materials including PET bottles and sustainable fibers, intended for everyday carry.
- 2Way Bags (투웨이백) Versatile two-way bags wearable as shoulder or cross-body bags, constructed from recycled polyester with Pleats Mama's characteristic pleated knit structure.
- Cross Bags (크로스백) Cross-body bags crafted from recycled materials with the brand's signature pleated knit design, suited for daily and travel use.
- Backpacks (백팩) Eco-friendly backpacks made from recycled PET bottles, featuring PLEATSMAMA's distinctive pleated knit construction for sustainable everyday and commuter use.
- Accessories (기타) — pouches, laptop pouches, inner bags, key rings, and ocean badges Companion accessories to the bag line — including pouches, laptop pouches, inner bags, key rings, and the Ocean Badge collection — produced from recycled and upcycled materials for sustainable lifestyle use.
Quantifiable outcome
- 1.2 tons PET bottles collected from Seoul apartments
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Pleats Mama
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Pleats Mama technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Pleats Mama partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
23 partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core, supporting and flagship.
- Samsung ElectronicsstrategicTechnology partnership installing Color E-Paper displays at PLEATSMAMA's Samcheong flagship store. Displays feature 13-inch and 32-inch panels consuming zero watts during static content, with bio-resin materials from plankton oil and 45-55% recycled plastic housing. Enables remote multilingual content updates.
- Hyosung TNCcoreKey manufacturing partner producing eco-friendly yarns from discarded PET bottles. Partnered with PLEATSMAMA to commercialize the world's first 100% recycled spandex. Supplies Regen Ocean recycled yarn from Ocean Bound Plastic collected at Yeosu Gwangyang Port. Established comprehensive domestic resource circulation value chain.
- NETSPAcoreWaste sourcing partner providing wasted fishing nets (WFN) for recycling into eco-friendly textiles as part of the Eco-Alliance supply chain.
- JeCLEANcoreWaste sourcing partner providing discarded beddings for recycling into textile materials as part of the Eco-Alliance waste pretreatment network.
- Hae Dong TradingcorePET bottle waste sourcing partner collecting discarded PET bottles for recycling into eco-friendly yarn production.
- UNI YARNsupportingYarn dyeing partner for the Eco-Alliance production chain, processing recycled yarns for color application.
- Olive YoungflagshipCollaboration for 25th anniversary producing 1 million limited edition HBD Pouches combining Olive Young's signature colors with PLEATSMAMA's iconic pleated form.
- L7 Hotel (Lotte)flagshipHotel collaboration providing guests with 300 bags made from 4,800 recycled plastic bottles in 2018. Eco-Traveler project (2020) transformed guest waste into bags and luggage tags; first hotel chain in Korea with such eco-action.
- Blue Bottle Coffee KoreaflagshipJeju café collaboration turning wasted Jeju PET bottles into recycled polyester for barista aprons (12 bottles/apron) and t-shirts (17 bottles/shirt), completing regional circulation from collection to production.
- Hyundai HmallstrategicPolar Bear loves PET Bottles campaign collecting 1.2 tons of waste PET bottles from Seoul apartments. PLEATSMAMA designed and manufactured bags with lowest carbon footprint from collected materials.
- MUJI KoreastrategicConscious Living Room pop-up at MUJI Gangnam Store showcasing PLEATSMAMA's recycling initiatives from PET bottle collection to fishing net nylon recycling.
- InnisfreestrategicEarth Day 2022 collaboration producing Nanobags from 0.1t of transparent waste plastic collected from Jeju Island and consumer campaigns.
- Hyundai CardstrategicBe Smart, Recycle campaign (2021) collecting 30,000 bottles (1 ton) of waste PET from Yeouido offices. Shoulder bag designed with Hyundai Card identity using rectangular check pattern reflecting card dimensions.
- Hyundai Motor StudiostrategicSTUDIO I collaboration featuring shoulder bag, mini two-way bag, and laptop pouch for IONIQ pop-up. Instagram event exchanging 10 PET bottles for eco-bags.
- WORLD VISIONstrategicEarth Flower Bag collaboration offering special edition to child sponsorship donors affected by climate change. Portion donated to forest restoration and climate response projects.
- 10 Corso ComoflagshipMilan Loves Seoul exhibition (2024) at 10 Corso Como Milan flagship showcasing PLEATSMAMA's sustainable beauty with collaborative and Cherry Blossom Edition Bags.
- LocknLocksupportingLove for Planet campaign creating mesh net bags from twelve Jeju PET bottles featured with LocknLock's Top Class container. Mini two-way bag collaboration for eco-friendly lifestyle.
- LINE FRIENDSstrategicGlobal character collaboration creating special versions of 2Way Shopper, Shoulder Bag, and Nano Bag with LINE FRIENDS characters plus upcycled instant meal container keyring.
- Hyundai Home ShoppingstrategicHome shopping partnership for sustainable product distribution through Hyundai Hmall channel.
- Audi KoreasupportingTwo collaborations including shoulder bag with Audi symbol and recycled polyester uniforms for Driving Experience event.
- Dong-Wha Pharmaceuticalsupporting122nd anniversary collaboration creating Whal Myung Su edition Mini Bubble Bag. All profits donated to environmental causes.
- Shake Shack KoreasupportingEarth Day collaboration featuring key colors in signature pleats design. Flagship store event offering ice cream for PET bottle donations plus eco-art classes.
- Yeosu Gwangyang Port AuthoritystrategicMOU for marine plastic resource circulation project collecting Ocean Bound Plastic (OBP) from ships departing Yeosu Port, turned into Regen Ocean recycled yarn.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Pleats Mama competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Freitag: Swiss maker of upcycled bags from used truck tarpaulins. Shares the 'waste-to-fashion' circular-economy positioning and bag-only product focus, targeting sustainability-driven urban consumers.
- Baggu: Direct DTC competitor in sustainable, design-forward reusable bags and accessories. Comparable target customer (eco-conscious millennial/Gen Z) and price-point positioning, though Baggu's canvas/nylon construction differs from PLEATSMAMA's knit pleated approach.
- Matt & Nat: Canadian vegan bag and accessories brand using recycled materials (bottles, nylon). Direct competitor on sustainability messaging, bag-category focus, and DTC-plus-wholesale channel mix.
- Cuyana: Direct-to-consumer sustainable fashion brand offering bags, accessories, and apparel with an eco-conscious value proposition and global e-commerce presence, overlapping PLEATSMAMA's premium positioning.
- Rothy's: Direct sustainable bag and footwear brand using recycled materials (plastic bottles) with proprietary knitting technology. Closely comparable on the recycled-yarn-to-bag supply chain and DTC-first model, though Rothy's operates at significantly larger scale.
Broad incumbents
- Anya Hindmarch: British luxury accessories brand with a sustainability initiative. Comparable as an established bag-focused brand that has built circular-economy programs, paralleling PLEATSMAMA's recycling partnerships.
- MUJI: Incumbent minimalist lifestyle brand that has run a Conscious Living Room collaboration with PLEATSMAMA. Comparable as a broad sustainable lifestyle retailer with overlap in bag and lifestyle goods categories.
- Longchamp: Established French handbag and accessories brand. Comparable in product category (handbags) and retail distribution, though positioned at a much higher price point and broader scale.
Others
- Hyosung TNC (regen brand): Strategic upstream partner and investor (Series 1 lead) that produces recycled spandex and yarn. Comparable as an ecosystem participant and enabler of PLEATSMAMA's recycled-material IP.
Regional players
- Baggu Korea / local sustainable bag brands: Korean and Asian sustainable bag brands (e.g., Tannim, local upcycled bag labels) competing in the same Seoul eco-conscious consumer segment. Domestic-only relevance but direct overlap in retail footprint and customer base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Pleats Mama social profiles
Digital presencePleats Mama financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pleats Mama leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Pleats Mama funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pleats Mama M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pleats Mama
What does Pleats Mama do?
Pleats Mama designs, manufactures, and sells knit pleated fashion accessories — primarily shoulder bags, tote bags, 2Way bags, cross bags, and backpacks — along with pouches, laptop pouches, inner bags, key rings, and ocean badges. All products are constructed from recycled and eco-friendly materials (recycled PET bottles, discarded fishing nets, ocean-bound plastics, and bio-based inputs) using the company's signature whole garment knitting technique. Sales occur through direct-to-consumer e-commerce (Korea, Japan, English/global) and Seoul flagship retail stores, supplemented by B2B wholesale, brand collaborations, and international export.
Is Pleats Mama a public or private company?
Pleats Mama is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Pleats Mama founded?
Pleats Mama was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Pleats Mama based?
Pleats Mama is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does Pleats Mama make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are wholesale and B2B and international Export.
Who are Pleats Mama's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Freitag, Baggu, Matt & Nat, Cuyana and Rothy's. Broad incumbents are Anya Hindmarch, MUJI and Longchamp. Hyosung TNC (regen brand) is listed as an others. Baggu Korea / local sustainable bag brands is listed as a regional player.
Does Pleats Mama have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pleats Mama.
What industry is Pleats Mama in?
Pleats Mama's product category is Sustainable Fashion Accessories. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAAJAA, Handbags & Purses. Its NAICS code is 3159 and its SIC code is 5600.