Akashi SUC

What Akashi SUC does

AKASHI S.U.C. (明石スクールユニフォームカンパニー) is the sales, marketing, and product planning arm of the Akashi Hifuku Kogyo group, one of Japan's largest school uniform manufacturers. The company designs, manufactures, and sells student uniforms (boys' gakuran, girls' sailor uniforms, and elementary school uniforms) primarily under the Fuji Yacht (富士ヨット) brand, which has been synonymous with Japanese school uniforms since 1951 and traces its corporate lineage to 1865. Beyond core uniforms, the portfolio spans licensed and proprietary school sportswear (ATHLISH, FEEL/D., DESCENTE-licensed, Orange Class JLA-certified swimwear), medical and nursing wear, enterprise workwear, and a disaster prevention education line co-developed with Kobe Gakuin University. The business also includes the Licca-FUJIYACHT girls' uniform brand, a co-branded line with Takara Tomy.

The product platform is differentiated by proprietary textile technologies including the patented TioTio® air-catalyst processing (Patent 6667866) for antibacterial/deodorant effects, Toray's Blizzartec waterproof breathable fabric in Smart One rainwear, plasma irradiation nano-coating for the deepest black fabric finish, a suspension bridge jacket construction that redistributes shoulder weight, and industry-first anti-virus pocket technology. The company operates as a hybrid manufacturer-distributor: it sells direct-to-schools through 8 regional branches and approximately 28 sales offices for custom uniform design, model change consulting, and PE/sportswear procurement, and reaches individual consumers through a network of roughly 400+ authorized retail stores including its own Plaza A chain. Medical/welfare products are distributed through institutional medical supply channels, and selected disaster prevention items are sold via Amazon Japan. The group reported consolidated revenue of 33,545,000,000 JPY for the fiscal year ending December 2025 with 1,478 group employees.

The business model is a one-time unit-sale / perpetual license model with pricing not publicly disclosed for most SKUs (one disclosed benchmark: Licca-FUJIYACHT school bag MSRP ¥8,400 ex-tax). Revenue is generated through B2C uniform sales to families, B2B custom uniform contracts with public and private schools, B2B institutional sales to medical and welfare facilities, and B2C/B2B sales of disaster prevention products. Customer concentration is low; the company is privately held with no venture or institutional investment disclosed, owned within the founding-family-led Akashi group led by President Kawai Hidefumi, and has no public market listing.

Name

Akashi SUC

Legal name

株式会社明石スクールユニフォームカンパニー

Website

https://akashi-suc.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AKASHI S.U.C. is the Japanese school uniform sales and marketing arm of the 1865-founded Akashi group, designing and selling the Fuji Yacht uniform brand, school sportswear, medical and welfare uniforms, and disaster prevention education products to families, schools, and institutions across Japan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

School Uniforms

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

School Uniforms (Children) (CRAAAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Team & School Athletic Uniforms Retail (CRAMACAJ), Team Sports Equipment & Uniforms Retail (CRAMABAE), Public Safety & Law Enforcement Uniforms (CRAAALAC)

Keywords

• School uniforms
• Student apparel
• School sportswear
• Medical workwear
• Disaster preparedness products

Headquarters

HQ city

Kurashiki

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. School Uniforms (学生服・制服): Design, manufacture, and sale of school uniforms including boys' gakuran/詰襟, girls' sailor/セーラー服, elementary school uniforms, and branded lines (Fuji Yacht, Nano Wave, Smart One, Licca-FUJIYACHT). Primary revenue driver.
2. School Sportswear (学校体育服): Sportswear for school physical education including ATHLISH, FEEL/D., DESCENTE (licensed brand), Yacht Sports, and orange high-visibility swimwear. Includes licensed partnerships.
3. Medical and Care Wear (医療福祉関係): Nursing wear, care staff wear, and service uniforms for medical and welfare institutions.
4. Disaster Prevention Products (防災関連): Safety helmets (Safe Met), emergency supplies (Safe Box), disaster preparedness backpacks, and educational materials (disaster prevention books, SDGs sugoroku board games) for schools.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Akashi SUC (AKASHI School Uniform Company) designs, manufactures, and sells school uniforms for elementary, junior high, and high school students in Japan under the flagship Fuji Yacht brand. The company also provides school sportswear, custom original school uniforms, medical/nursing uniforms, workwear, and disaster prevention education products through a nationwide network of branches, sales offices, and authorized retail stores.

Product overview

Akashi S.U.C. (明石スクールユニフォームカンパニー) operates as a comprehensive uniform manufacturer serving four customer segments: individual consumers (school uniforms), schools (custom uniforms, PE/sportswear, disaster prevention), medical/welfare facilities, and enterprise/workwear clients. Its product portfolio centers on the Fujiyacht (富士ヨット) school uniform brand for boys (詰襟 jackets, featuring 7 sub-lines including ナノウェーブプレミアム, スマートワン, ラクラン, etc.) and girls (including Licca-FUJIYACHT collaboration and komachi). School PE/sportswear encompasses owned brands ATHLISH and FEEL/D., the DESCENTE licensed line, ヨットスポーツ, and JLA-certified オレンジCLASS swimwear. Medical/nursing uniforms include licensed brands under ルコックスポルティフ and proprietary brands. Disaster prevention products include educational materials and emergency supplies. Accessories include rainwear, lunch aprons, shirts, bags, and belts. The architecture is multi-brand/multi-segment rather than a single unified platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 富士ヨット (Fuji Yacht): Core school uniform brand for boys, girls, and elementary school students, including premium lines like ナノウェーブプレミアム, ラクラン, スマートワン, Jプラウド, シャワークリア, シリーズX for boys, and 富士ヨット komachi for girls.
• Licca-FUJIYACHT
• FEEL/D.
• ATHLISH
• DESCENTE
• ヨットスポーツ (Yacht Sports)
• オレンジCLASS (Orange Class)
• CLASSEARTH
• O.C.S.D.
• Kinloch Anderson
• ペチクール
• イークオリア (e-qual)
• ステラベルジェテンダー
• ルコックスポルティフ

Products and services

• Fuji Yacht School Uniforms (富士ヨット学生服) Flagship school uniform brand for boys' gakuran jackets and girls' sailor-style uniforms, spanning elementary through high school. Includes multiple sub-lines (Nanowave Premium, Smart One, Rakuran, J-Proud, Shower Clear, Series X for boys; komachi for girls).
• Licca-FUJIYACHT Girls' school uniform brand collaboration with Takara Tomy's Licca doll, featuring stretch fabric, princess silhouette lines, one-touch waist adjuster, and Swarovski crystal zipper pulls. Includes matching school bags.
• DESCENTE School Sportswear High-quality school PE uniforms developed under a licensing partnership with DESCENTE, combining DESCENTE's functionality and design with Akashi SUC's school uniform expertise.
• ATHLISH School Sportswear Akashi SUC's original sportswear brand featuring four distinct lines: Athletic (A-Line), Regular (R-Line), Stylish (S-Line), and Other/Support (O-Line), emphasizing style and functionality for school PE and sports activities.
• FEEL/D. School Sportswear Dimension-driven school sportswear brand built on three pillars: DESIGN (borderless wear), DETAIL (three-dimensional craftsmanship), and DELIGHT (quality focus), using advanced functional materials.
• Orange Class High-Visibility Swimwear High-visibility orange swimwear for school swimming classes, scientifically proven to be the most visible color underwater. Certified as JLA SAFETY PRODUCTS by the Japan Lifesaving Association.
• Yacht Sports School PE Wear Original school PE uniform brand with soft, skin-friendly materials in pastel colors, focusing on the well-being of children with safety and comfort considerations.
• Medical and Nursing Uniforms (看護服・介護服) Medical, nursing, and caregiving uniforms including nursing wear, care staff wear, and service uniforms for hospitals, clinics, and elder care facilities. Includes licensed brands like Le Coq Sportif and proprietary brands like Stella Belgique.
• Workwear (作業服) Service industry workwear and uniforms for enterprise customers, including brands such as Pechicool and e-qual.
• Disaster Prevention Education Products (防災教育用品) Disaster prevention education materials and emergency supplies for schools, including Safe Met protective helmets, Safe BOX emergency kits, My Safe Backpack, disaster learning books, SDGs sugoroku board games, and earthquake/tsunami/flooding simulation materials developed in partnership with Kobe Gakuin University.

Quantifiable outcome

• TioTio® processing maintains effectiveness after repeated washing and achieves 97%+ user satisfaction for deodorizing effects (100 respondents)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• キンロック・アンダーソン社 (Kinloch Anderson)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Scotland-based premium tartan/kilt manufacturer holding three Royal Warrants (from Queen Elizabeth, Duke of Edinburgh, and King Charles). Collaboration on original AKASHI house tartan check for school uniforms, using AKASHI's corporate color 'Smart Blue' combined with white and orange (representing Okayama and Seto ceramic ware). The partnership commemorates AKASHI's 150th founding anniversary.
• 神戸学院大学 (Kobe Gakuin University)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Industry-academia partnership with Japan's only university department of Social Disaster Prevention Studies. Jointly developed disaster prevention learning materials for elementary, junior high, high school, and university levels. Materials support proactive interactive learning and are used by schools nationwide.
• 日本ライフセービング協会 (Japan Lifesaving Association, JLA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAKASHI S.U.C. is an official partner company of JLA, supporting activities toward the goal of 'zero water-related accidents at beaches and waterfronts.' The company develops JLA SAFETY PRODUCTS including high-visibility orange swimwear certified by JLA as safety products.
• 特定非営利活動法人NGO活動教育研究センター (NERC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNERC operates literacy education programs in Cambodia. AKASHI S.U.C. supports these activities and collaborates on the 'Deliver Picture Books Project,' producing trilingual picture books (Khmer, Japanese, English) for Cambodian children through student volunteers.
• 公益財団法人ブルーシー・アンド・グリーンランド財団 (B&G Foundation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAKASHI S.U.C. participates in the Water Sports Project (WSP) together with B&G Foundation, JTU (Japan Triathlon Union), and JLA, providing orange swimwear and supporting programs where children learn water safety skills and the value of life.
• 大成繊維商事 (Taisei Seni Shoji)coreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of Blizzartec waterproof breathable fabric used in SMART ONE rainwear products. Toraytext's technology enables 10,000mm water pressure resistance and 10,000g/m2/24h breathability.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Seiren Co., Ltd. Major Japanese textile and uniform manufacturer (listed TSE) that produces school uniforms, corporate uniforms, and apparel fabrics. Directly comparable as a domestic Japanese school uniform peer with overlapping customer base and similar product mix.
• Konishi Co., Ltd. Long-established Japanese maker of school uniforms (gakuran and sailor-style) and related apparel. Closely comparable in product category, customer base, and channel structure to Akashi S.U.C.
• Chikuma Co., Ltd. Japanese uniform specialist producing school uniforms, workwear, and medical uniforms. Direct peer with the same elementary-through-high school target customer base and similar nationwide distribution model.

Broad incumbents

• Toyobo Co., Ltd. Large Japanese textile and material science company that supplies functional fabrics to the school uniform industry. Comparable as a textile technology peer supplying anti-bacterial, waterproof, and performance fabrics similar to those used by Akashi S.U.C.
• Workman Co., Ltd. Listed Japanese workwear and functional apparel retailer. Comparable in operating a large physical-store uniform/apparel distribution network in Japan with similar product mix to Akashi's medical/care and workwear segment.
• Nisshinbo Holdings Inc. Diversified Japanese textile and industrial conglomerate with significant apparel and uniform fabric operations. Comparable as a domestic Japanese textile and uniform material peer.
• Aoyama Trading Co., Ltd. Japan's dominant business suit and uniform rental company. Comparable as a large Japanese uniform provider with nationwide distribution, though it focuses on business dress uniforms rather than school uniforms.
• DESCENTE Ltd. Major Japanese sportswear brand and Akashi's licensed partner. Comparable as a premium functional sportswear brand; both companies sell school PE uniforms and high-visibility safety apparel to Japanese schools.

Emerging players

• Kinloch Anderson: Scottish heritage kilt/tartan maker with three Royal Warrants and Akashi's tartan collaboration partner. Comparable in joint design and premium tartan uniform products targeting premium school accounts.
• Takara Tomy Arts Ltd. Owner of the Licca IP licensed to Akashi for the Licca-FUJIYACHT uniform line. Comparable as a consumer brand IP holder with overlapping girls' demographic and brand-collaboration economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/akashi_suc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC9-GoG14j7R_2tKNuKbZKLA
• Facebookfacebook.com/akashi.suc
• Instagraminstagram.com/akashi_suc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Akashi SUC