What FSX does

FSX Co., Ltd. (FSX株式会社), founded in 1967 as Fujinami Towel Service Co., Ltd. and rebranded in 2016-2017, is a privately held Japanese company headquartered in Kunitachi City, Tokyo, specializing in the development, production, and distribution of oshibori (wet hand towels). The company operates across seven business segments: FSX Oshibori (recurring rental subscription services for restaurants, hotels, ryokan, and healthcare facilities), FSX Product (OEM and proprietary product development), FSX Commerce (e-Shizai Market, Japan's largest oshibori e-commerce platform), FSX Partner (franchise and VB sub-licensing), FSX Science (healthcare and beauty R&D), FSX Data & Communication (AI-powered DX solutions including Oshibori AI for collection forecasting), and FSX Expression (location-based co-creation such as the Expression Kawaguchiko café).

The company's competitive differentiation is anchored in proprietary VB (Virus Block) anti-virus and antimicrobial chemistry, which claims 99.99%+ suppression of viruses and bacteria, and which has been extended into VB-COSME-, Japan's first cosmetics-class oshibori with anti-aging properties, and into licensed applications such as anti-virus resin co-developed with Mitsubishi Pencil. Other proprietary technologies include REION, an award-winning (2018 Good Design Award) oshibori cooler/warmer using Air Circulation Technology, and Oshibori AI for predictive collection analytics. Manufacturing is vertically integrated across Japan (Fujiyoshida, Uenohara), Vietnam (Hanoi, established August 2025), Malaysia (Johor Bahru), and China, with annual production capacity of 70 million units and reported pocket oshibori sales of 140 million units annually.

FSX monetizes through monthly B2B rental subscriptions, direct product sales via e-commerce and retail, VB technology licensing to cleaning companies and linen suppliers, franchise operations, OEM manufacturing, REION equipment sales, and healthcare/beauty products. The company has committed to a JPY 10 billion sales target and supplies high-profile accounts including JR Group (Shinkansen green cars), Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025 (VIP hospitality), and tourism operators across Japan, while expanding internationally into the US, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Malaysia.

Name

FSX

Legal name

FSX株式会社

Website

https://fsx.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

FSX is a Japanese oshibori (wet hand towel) rental, manufacturing, and technology company founded in 1967, serving restaurants, hotels, healthcare facilities, and event venues with proprietary VB anti-virus/antimicrobial products and cosmetics-grade oshibori across Japan, the US, and Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Oshibori Rental and Manufacturing

NAICS

Industrial Launderers (812332)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Uniform & Linen Cleaning, Sanitization & Processing (Service-Included) (HSAJAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hotel / Hospitality Laundry Pickup & Delivery (HSAJACAF), Bed & Bath Linen Service (Sheets, Pillowcases, Bath Mats) (HSAJAMAH), Hand Hygiene & Skin Antisepsis (Soaps, Sanitizers, Surgical Scrubs, CHG Prep) (HLAHANAE)

Keywords

• Oshibori rental services
• Wet towel manufacturing
• Antiviral textile technology
• Hospitality towel supply
• Hand hygiene products

Headquarters

HQ city

Izumi

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Rental Services (おしぼりレンタル): Core rental business providing cloth oshibori, pocket oshibori, and related products to restaurants, hotels, and hospitality businesses with delivery, collection, and laundry services.
2. Product Sales (小売販売): Direct sales of pocket oshibori, aroma products, VB-COSME skincare oshibori, and related items through e-commerce platform e-shizai.net and retail channels.
3. VB Technology Licensing: Licensing of VB (Virus Block) proprietary technology to cleaning industry operators, linen suppliers, and other businesses for use in their products and services.
4. Franchise and Partnership: Franchise services providing products, know-how, and VB sub-licensing to towel industry operators.
5. Manufacturing OEM: OEM manufacturing services for custom oshibori products, non-woven fabrics, and related items for business partners.
6. REION Equipment Sales: Sale of REION cooler/warmer units for oshibori temperature control in hospitality and retail settings.
7. Healthcare and Science Products: Science division developing and selling healthcare, hand hygiene, and beauty products based on VB technology research.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion5 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

FSX develops, produces, and rents oshibori (wet hand towels) to hotels, restaurants, and hospitality businesses across Japan through a subscription rental model that includes delivery, collection, and laundering. The company also sells pocket oshibori, fragrance variants, cosmetics-grade oshibori, and a proprietary oshibori cooler/warmer unit (REION) through its e-commerce platform and retail channels. Its proprietary VB (Virus Block) antiviral and antimicrobial technology is licensed to third-party industries including cleaning, stationery, and cosmetics.

Product overview

FSX operates a diversified portfolio spanning seven business segments — FSX Oshibori (rental service), FSX Product (product development/manufacturing), FSX Commerce (e-commerce retail via e-Shizai Market), FSX Partner (franchise/VB licensing), FSX Science (healthcare/beauty R&D), FSX Data & Communication (AI-powered DX solutions), and FSX Expression (regional co-creation) — unified by core proprietary technologies VB (virus-blocking hygiene technology with proven anti-aging skin effects) and Oshibori AI (predictive analytics for collection forecasting). The product portfolio centers on the VB-COSME- anti-aging oshibori brand (the industry's first cosmetics-classified oshibori), the AROMA Premium fragrance oshibori sub-brand (with yuica forest scents and multiple fragrance variants), the Pocket Oshibori line (including COTTON, SILKY, COLORS, AIRY, and HAND&BODY variants), and the REION warm/cool storage unit (winner of the 2018 Good Design Award). Rental and franchise services complement direct product sales, while OEM and co-development services extend reach to third-party manufacturers. Regional brands such as Fujipyon and Expression Kawaguchiko reflect the company's strategy of anchoring new ventures in local communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VB (ブイビー): Proprietary antiviral and antibacterial technology brand. VB technology has been developed into VB-COSME- cosmetics-grade oshibori and licensed to other industries.
• VB-COSME-
• REION
• Pocket Oshibori
• AROMA Premium
• FSX Expression
• FSX富士

Products and services

• FSX Oshibori Rental Service Subscription-based rental of cloth and pocket oshibori with delivery, collection, and laundry for restaurants, hotels, ryokan, and hospitality venues across Japan.
• Pocket Oshibori Disposable, individually wrapped oshibori product line serving restaurants, hotels, sports events, and healthcare facilities. Available in COTTON (100% cotton), SILKY (smooth stretchable, S/M/L), COLORS (blue/red/pink/black), AIRY (cotton-like texture), and HAND&BODY (extra-large) variants.
• VB-COSME- Cosmetics-Grade Oshibori Anti-aging oshibori combining VB virus-blocking technology with skincare benefits; first oshibori registered as a cosmetics-category product in Japan, usable from hand to face and body.
• AROMA Premium Fragrance Oshibori Fragrance-infused pocket oshibori available in 5 scents (Citral, Peppermint, Lavender, Rose, Bergamot) and 3 forest scents including rare yuica essential oils from Hida Takayama. Individually wrapped for single-use omotenashi experiences.
• REION Oshibori Cooler/Warmer Unit World's first oshibori cooler/warmer storage unit using proprietary Air Circulation Technology for efficient temperature transfer; available in L and S sizes; awarded 2018 Good Design Award.
• VB (Virus Block) Technology Licensing Proprietary antiviral and anti-bacterial hygiene technology with documented 99.99%+ virus and bacteria suppression; licensed to cleaning companies, linen suppliers, and industrial partners for use in their products and services.
• VB Hand Lotion Hand lotion incorporating the proprietary VB virus-blocking technology, sold through e-Shizai Market e-commerce platform in Japan and Hong Kong.
• Kōma (高馬) Premium Oshibori Premium hospitality oshibori using luxury combed cotton yarn, positioned at the highest tier of the Japanese omotenashi market.
• Gold/Silver Oshibori (金おしぼり・銀おしぼり) Large circular oshibori with elegant cloud-dragon (雲龍) and silver paper packaging for special celebratory occasions and upscale dining or wedding venues.
• LARME Aromatic Oshibori Fragrance Refresher Aromatic fragrance agent (芳香剤) for oshibori providing fragrance refresh; long-selling product approaching 20 years on the market with refreshed packaging design in 2025.
• Fujipyon (ふじぴょん) Lavender Oshibori Aromatic oshibori infused with Lake Kawaguchiko lavender fragrance, developed and manufactured by FSX Fuji subsidiary; showcases regional collaboration and local fragrance branding.
• Embroidery Oshibori Service Full embroidery customization service for oshiboris enabling businesses to brand their oshiboris as a distinctive first impression for customers at restaurants and hospitality venues.
• e-Shizai Market (イーシバイ・マーケット) Japan's largest oshibori e-commerce platform for direct consumer and business purchases, leveraging proprietary logistics network to support customer sales expansion and promotional assistance.
• FSX Partner Franchise and Sub-Licensing Program Franchise program providing products, services, know-how, and VB sub-licensing opportunities to towel industry operators (cleaning companies, linen suppliers, and other oshibori industry businesses).
• FSX Product OEM and Co-Development Service OEM and co-development manufacturing service for custom oshibori products, non-woven fabrics, and related items using FSX's advanced VB hygiene management technology and manufacturing capabilities.
• Oshibori AI Predictive Analytics Software AI-powered predictive application using video/image analysis to forecast oshibori collection quantities, enabling manufacturing cost reduction and labor efficiency for the oshibori industry.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.99%+ virus and bacteria suppression rate with VB technology
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cintas Corporation: Cintas is North America's largest uniform rental and linen supply company, providing recurring service-based textile delivery to hospitality, healthcare, and industrial customers. Closest global analog to FSX's B2B oshibori rental + pickup/delivery service model.
• UniFirst Corporation: UniFirst operates uniform rental and supply programs with route-based delivery to hotels, restaurants, and industrial clients in North America. Comparable business model to FSX Oshibori: subscription textile rental with regular pickup/cleaning/return cycles.
• Elis SA: Elis is a leading European provider of flat linen, workwear, and hygiene solutions with contract-based rental across hospitality and healthcare. Same textile rental + hygiene positioning as FSX, and a useful benchmark for international scaling.
• Aramark Corporation: Aramark provides food, facility, and uniform services globally, including linen and textile management for hotels, sports venues, and healthcare. Comparable to FSX in serving hospitality with bundled, recurring textile and hygiene services.
• Mission Linen Supply: Mission Linen Supply is a US industrial laundry and linen/uniform rental company serving restaurants, hotels, and healthcare facilities. Closely mirrors FSX's core service-with-pickup-delivery model on a smaller regional scale.

Broad incumbents

• Kao Corporation: Kao is a major Japanese consumer products company spanning hygiene, cosmetics, and skin care (e.g., Bioré, Curel). Competes with FSX's VB-COSME anti-aging oshibori through its established skincare brands and could enter antiviral hand hygiene categories overlapping with VB.
• Daio Paper Corporation: Daio Paper is a leading Japanese paper and tissue manufacturer with significant towel/wiper production. Overlaps with FSX in the broader Japanese towel/paper textile category and represents a scaled incumbent into which FSX could conceivably be consolidated.
• Ecolab Inc. Ecolab is a global leader in water, hygiene, and infection-prevention solutions for hospitality, healthcare, and food service. Comparable through its sanitation and hygiene technology licensing for institutional customers — adjacent to FSX's VB licensing path.

Regional players

• Saraya Co., Ltd. Saraya is a Japanese company specializing in hand hygiene, sanitizer, and infection-control products. Closely comparable to FSX's VB antivirai/microbial hand hygiene and hand lotion product lines, with overlap mainly in Japanese market hygiene customers.

Others

• Reckitt Benckiser (RB): Reckitt owns Dettol and Lysol, leading consumer hand hygiene and disinfectant brands. Connected to FSX's VB technology through the broader hand hygiene/antisepsis category, but does not compete directly in oshibori or textile rental.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/fsx.co.jp
• Xx.com/fsxkoho

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors7 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FSX