Sustee
Sustee is a Japanese micro-company that designs, manufactures, and sells the battery-free SUStee soil moisture checker and BASE series plant care products to home plant enthusiasts across Japan via Amazon, Rakuten, direct e-commerce, and specialty plant retailers, supplemented by the Greenery plant-care community platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersMinato, Japan
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Sustee does
Cabinotier Co., Ltd., operating commercially as Sustee (サスティー), is a privately held Japanese micro-company headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo, that designs, manufactures, and distributes consumer plant care products through a network of direct e-commerce, marketplaces, and specialty retail channels. Its core product, the SUStee watering checker, is a battery-free device inserted into soil that uses a proprietary pF-value-based mechanism to indicate moisture status via a simple blue-to-white color change, removing guesswork from watering timing. The system is complemented by a recurring refill business: replacement cores made of 100% cotton fiber that biodegrade in soil over a 6-9 month cycle (or 1-2 years for moss/bark substrates), creating a hardware-plus-consumable revenue model.
Beyond the core moisture checker, the company has expanded its offering with the BASE series (体力BASE soil improvement agent and 骨太BASE plant vitality agent) bundled as the LOVE GREEN SET, and operates the Greenery community platform, via partner Asobica, which provides plant diaries, Q&A, and seasonal growing guides to drive engagement and brand affinity. Monetization combines one-time hardware purchases through Amazon Japan, the newly launched Rakuten store (January 2026), the company's own EC site, and a dedicated B2B wholesale platform (store.sustee.jp) supplying plant specialty stores such as PLANTHINK PLANTS.
The company is independently owned with no disclosed venture funding and reports headcount of 1-10 employees. Its GTM is product-led, leaning heavily on marketplace listings, social media (Instagram, X, YouTube, LINE), event participation (Fukuoka Flower Show 2026, Katsushika Green Fair, Hana-Tomo Festival), and the Greenery community. Its credibility has been validated by 13 domestic and international design and innovation awards, including the GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2015 and LDK OF THE YEAR 2024.
Sustee firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sustee
- Legal name
- Cabinotier Co., Ltd. (キャビノチェ株式会社)
- Website
- https://sustee.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Sustee is a Japanese micro-company that designs, manufactures, and sells the battery-free SUStee soil moisture checker and BASE series plant care products to home plant enthusiasts across Japan via Amazon, Rakuten, direct e-commerce, and specialty plant retailers, supplemented by the Greenery plant-care community platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sustee industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Gardening Tools & Plant Care Accessories
- NAICS
- Lawn and Garden Equipment and Supplies Retailers (4442), Support Activities for Crop Production (11511)
- SIC
- Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply (5200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Irrigation, Fertigation & Nutrient Delivery Systems (Dosing, Injectors, Sensors) (AFAAAHAE)
Keywords
Where Sustee is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minato
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sustee 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
Revenue model
- Hardware Product Sales: One-time sales of SUStee moisture checker devices (available in S/M/L sizes) and BASE series products through Amazon, Rakuten, and direct EC channels. Revenue from initial device purchases and accessory sales.
- Refill/Consumable Sales: Recurring sales of replacement cores (リフィル/refills) for SUStee devices. Replacement interval is approximately 6-9 months for standard organic soil and 1-2 years for moss/bark environments, creating periodic repeat purchase opportunities.
- Wholesale/B2B Distribution: B2B EC platform (store.sustee.jp) for retail store and wholesale customers, supplying physical retail locations like PLANTHINK PLANTS and other garden/plant shops.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | SUStee 5-piece set available in sizes S/M/L with colors green, white, black |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Refill (リフィル) 4-piece set for core replacement |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | BASE Series products (体力BASE soil improver, 骨太BASE plant vitality) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Wholesale/B2B pricing for retail partners |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Sustee product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sustee designs, manufactures, and sells the SUStee battery-free soil moisture checker, which signals optimal watering timing via a blue/white color change based on pF value. The product line is complemented by refill cores, the BASE series soil improvement and plant vitality agents, and bundle sets. Cabinotier Co., Ltd., the operating entity, also runs the Greenery community platform for plant enthusiasts and supplies specialty plant retailers through a wholesale B2B channel.
Product overview
Sustee offers a product ecosystem centered on the SUStee watering checker (battery-free device that shows soil moisture via color changes), complemented by the BASE series soil improvement products (体力BASE for soil environment and 骨太BASE for plant vitality). The Greenery community platform provides educational content and user engagement. Products are available in three sizes (S/M/L) and multiple colors, with replaceable refill cores and accessory sets including LOVE GREEN SET.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- SUStee (サスティー) A battery-free watering checker that indicates soil moisture levels through color changes (blue when wet, white when dry) based on pF value. Users insert the device into soil and wait for the color indicator to signal optimal watering timing. Available in S/M/L sizes and green, white, and black colorways.
- SUStee Refill (リフィル) Replacement core for the SUStee watering checker, made from 100% cotton fiber that decomposes naturally via soil microorganisms. Replacement period is approximately 6-9 months for standard organic soil and 1-2 years for moss or bark substrates. Sold as a 4-piece set.
- 体力BASE (Tairyoku BASE) Soil improvement agent designed to create a loose, well-aerated soil environment that supports root growth, water and nutrient absorption, and oxygen circulation in the soil. Sold as part of the BASE series complementing the SUStee moisture checker.
- 骨太BASE (Honebuto BASE) Plant vitality agent that helps grow sturdy stems and leaves, making plants more resilient and improving their ability to support flowers and fruits. Sold as part of the BASE series complementing the SUStee moisture checker.
- LOVE GREEN SET Bundled product set combining the SUStee watering checker with the BASE series soil improvement and plant vitality products as a packaged plant-care gift or starter kit.
Quantifiable outcome
- Refill replacement interval: approximately 6-9 months for organic soil, 1-2 years for moss/bark
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Sustee
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Sustee technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Sustee partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Fukuoka Flower Show 2026 (FFS2026)minorParticipation in Fukuoka Flower Show 2026 held at Fukuoka City Botanical Gardens (March 22-26, 2026), with booth exhibition and city-wide floral decorations.
- 葛飾区 (Katsushika Ward)minorParticipation in the Katsushika Green Fair gardening event organized by Katsushika Ward, featuring product exhibition and direct customer engagement.
- 花友フェスタ (Hana-Tomo Festival)minorParticipation in the Hana-Tomo Festival in Makuhari, featuring product exhibition at booth G-9 and direct engagement with gardening enthusiasts.
- AsobicacoreOperates the Greenery community platform (greenery.sustee.jp) for Cabinotier/Sustee, providing community infrastructure including forums, user profiles, content management, and member services. Cookie policy documentation shows Asobica as the operator of the service.
- PLANTHINK PLANTSminorSapporo-based plant specialty store carrying SUStee products. Store provides plant sales, care services, repotting, plant diagnosis, and rental services alongside SUStee moisture checkers.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Sustee competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Fiskars: Fiskars is a global consumer gardening tools brand, including pruners, soil tools, and other small gardening implements. Comparable to Sustee as a consumer-facing gardening brand sold through retail and home improvement channels, though Fiskars is a broad-line incumbent.
- AeroGarden: AeroGarden sells indoor hydroponic gardening systems with built-in grow lights and reminders for home herb/vegetable growing. Comparable to Sustee as a home-focused consumer gardening brand, but with a more capital-intensive, electronics-driven product category.
- Gardena: Gardena is a major European brand offering irrigation, soil moisture sensors, and smart garden watering systems. It competes indirectly with Sustee by providing automated irrigation controlled by moisture sensing, addressing the same watering problem at a larger, more infrastructure-heavy scale.
- Scotts Miracle-Gro: Scotts Miracle-Gro is a major consumer gardening brand with soil, fertilizer, and plant care products sold through mass retail. Comparable to Sustee as a consumer gardening brand, though at vastly larger scale and with broader category scope.
Emerging players
- Planta: Planta is a plant care app that provides watering reminders, plant identification, and care guidance for home plant owners. While not a hardware maker, it competes for the same mindshare on watering management that Sustee addresses with a physical product, complementing rather than directly substituting.
- PictureThis: PictureThis is a plant identification and care app used by home plant enthusiasts. It serves the same user base as Sustee's Greenery community platform (home plant owners seeking care guidance), though as a digital-only tool rather than a physical gardening product.
- PlantLink: PlantLink was a smart soil moisture sensor that triggered a watering notification via app. Conceptually comparable to Sustee as a soil-moisture-monitoring product for home gardeners, though delivered through a connected IoT device rather than a passive color indicator.
Direct peers
- Parrot Flower Power: Parrot's Flower Power was a Bluetooth soil sensor for indoor plants that monitored moisture, light, fertilizer, and temperature. Despite being discontinued, it remains a directly comparable product type to Sustee's moisture checker in concept and target market.
- Click & Grow: Click & Grow sells smart indoor garden kits that include soil-based growing pods with built-in watering and light automation for home use. Comparable to Sustee in targeting home plant/herb growers, though its offering is a more integrated, higher-priced, electronics-driven system.
- Xiaomi (Mi Flora): Xiaomi's Mi Flora is a Bluetooth-enabled soil moisture/light/nutrient sensor for potted plants, the closest direct competitor to Sustee's moisture checker. Both target home plant owners with a single-stake sensor concept, though Mi Flora uses a connected app while Sustee uses a color indicator.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sustee social profiles
Digital presenceSustee financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sustee leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Sustee funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sustee 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 Sustee
What does Sustee do?
Sustee designs, manufactures, and sells the SUStee battery-free soil moisture checker, which signals optimal watering timing via a blue/white color change based on pF value. The product line is complemented by refill cores, the BASE series soil improvement and plant vitality agents, and bundle sets. Cabinotier Co., Ltd., the operating entity, also runs the Greenery community platform for plant enthusiasts and supplies specialty plant retailers through a wholesale B2B channel.
Is Sustee a public or private company?
Sustee is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Sustee founded?
Sustee was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Sustee based?
Sustee is headquartered in Minato, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Sustee make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Hardware Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are refill/Consumable Sales and wholesale/B2B Distribution.
Who are Sustee's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Fiskars, AeroGarden, Gardena and Scotts Miracle-Gro. Emerging players are Planta, PictureThis and PlantLink. Direct peers are Parrot Flower Power, Click & Grow and Xiaomi (Mi Flora).
Does Sustee have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sustee.
What industry is Sustee in?
Sustee's product category is Gardening Tools & Plant Care Accessories. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAAAHAE, Irrigation, Fertigation & Nutrient Delivery Systems (Dosing, Injectors, Sensors). Its NAICS code is 4442 and its SIC code is 5200.