STR

What STR does

STR Corporation (エステアール株式会社) is a Japanese textile and apparel manufacturer founded in 1976 and headquartered in Oyabe, Toyama Prefecture. The company operates two business divisions: an Apparel Division handling OEM production of ladies' innerwear, foundation garments, and lingerie alongside proprietary product development (Beauty Bra, Benea shapewear, Queen's Lab masks); and a Material Division producing elastic polyurethane blend fabrics, industrial 3D knit materials, and ACE (Amenity and Clean Ecology) products for transportation, aerospace, and medical applications. STR is vertically integrated through five wholly-owned group entities — Fuji Lace (warp knitting), New Lady (domestic sewing), and three Chinese subsidiaries (Eikou Yarisu, Bankin Yarisu, Kahoku Yarisu) — enabling end-to-end production from fabric to finished garment with over 1,350 sewing machines and 400,000 units/month capacity at Eikou Yarisu alone.

The company's proprietary technology stack centers on 3D knitting applied across both apparel (Cousette-enabled custom-fit underwear using 1-million-point body scanning with sub-3mm accuracy in 2.4 seconds) and industrial segments (Shinkansen interiors, aerospace composite materials, escalator steps, anti-bedsore pads, bee guard wear). All five factories hold ISO9001 certification (1999–2006). STR monetizes through three revenue streams: OEM manufacturing for fashion brands (prices undisclosed), proprietary product sales through multi-channel distribution (door-to-door, specialty stores, mass retailers, e-commerce), and textile material sales to garment manufacturers and industrial users. Approximately 100 fabric prototypes are developed annually using dedicated trial knitting machines.

The company serves enterprise OEM clients (unnamed apparel brands), industrial buyers in transportation/aerospace, and end consumers through direct and retail channels. Distribution geography spans Japan (primary), China (manufacturing and partial market), and Vietnam (limited market presence via local-language website). The company is private, family-controlled under Chairman Yamaguchi Hideki (appointed December 2017), with 41 employees as of February 2023 and FY2023 revenue of 4.804 billion yen. No external institutional investment, PE/VC backing, or public listing has been disclosed.

Name

STR

Legal name

エステアール株式会社

Website

https://str.or.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

STR Corporation is a Japanese textile manufacturer (founded 1976, Toyama) producing ladies' innerwear and foundation garments through OEM manufacturing and proprietary product lines, with vertically integrated factories in Japan and China serving fashion brands, industrial buyers, and direct consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Apparel and Textile Manufacturing

NAICS

Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing (except Contractors) (31525), Apparel Knitting Mills (3151), Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills (3133)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Knit Outerwear Mills (2253), Knitting Mills (2250)

akta.pro primary industry

Outerwear & Performance Apparel Cut & Sew (IMAOAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Technical Fabric Mills (Performance/Protective/Medical Substrates) (IMAOABAH)

Keywords

• Ladies innerwear manufacturing
• Foundation garment OEM
• Warp knit textiles
• 3D body scanning
• Industrial textile materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Oyabe

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. OEM Manufacturing - Ladies Innerwear & Foundation Garments: OEM production of ladies' innerwear, foundation garments, and lingerie for fashion brands. Group operates 4 sewing factories (1 domestic, 3 overseas in China) and 1 knitting factory, enabling integrated production from fabric to finished product.
2. Proprietary Product Development & Sales: Self-developed proprietary products including body-type-specific shaping underwear (美・ブラ), Benea functional innerwear (co-developed with Toyama Life Engineering Research Institute, selected as Toyama Product), and mask products sold through own e-commerce (Queens Lab).
3. Textile Materials (Innerwear & Industrial): Sale of knitting fabrics for innerwear, outerwear, and sports applications, as well as industrial materials including 3D knit structural materials, bee guard wear, anti-bedsore pads, and automotive/aerospace components.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

STR Corporation manufactures ladies' innerwear, foundation garments, and specialty textile fabrics through a vertically integrated group comprising one warp knitting factory and four sewing factories across Japan and China. The company operates both OEM production for apparel brands and proprietary product lines (Cousette 3D body scanner, Beauty Bra, Benea shapewear, Queen's Lab masks). The Material Division develops elastic polyurethane blend fabrics and 3D knit industrial materials used in transportation, medical, and aerospace applications, producing approximately 100 fabric prototypes annually.

Product overview

STR (エステアール株式会社) is a textile and apparel company that operates through two main divisions: an Apparel Division handling OEM production and proprietary development of ladies' innerwear, foundation garments, and shapewear; and a Material Division producing elastic polyurethane blend fabrics, industrial textiles, and ACE (Amenity and Clean Ecology) products. The company has vertically integrated manufacturing with knitting factories (Fuji Lace) and sewing factories in Japan (New Lady) and China (three Yarisu subsidiaries), enabling in-house production from fabric to finished products. Key proprietary products include the Cousette 3D body measurement system, Beauty Bra body-specific shaping underwear, Benea foundation garments, and Queen's Lab masks. The Material Division also produces specialized 3D knit products for transportation (Shinkansen interiors, escalator steps), medical applications (bedsore prevention), protective wear (bee guards), and artificial turf.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Queen's Lab: Brand for mask products and direct sales website
• Cousette
• Benea (ベネア)

Products and services

• Cousette 3D Body Measurement System (クーゼット) Non-contact 3D body scanning system using harmless light sensors that measures approximately 1 million body points with sub-3mm accuracy in 2.4 seconds. Used for custom-fit underwear production, beauty salon body tracking, gym fitness assessments, and medical/orthopedic applications including posture analysis with color-coded height differential display.
• Beauty Bra Body-Type-Specific Shaping Underwear (体型別補整下着 美・ブラ) Proprietary shaping underwear designed to help customers select undergarments suited to their individual body type, enabling ideal body proportions. Sold through door-to-door sales, specialty lingerie stores, and mass retailers.
• Benea Foundation Garment (ベネア) Functional foundation garment co-developed with the Toyama Prefecture Life Engineering Research Institute. Selected as a representative Toyama Product (富山プロダクツ), demonstrating government-academia-industry collaboration in functional textile development.
• Queen's Lab Mask (クイーンズ・ラボ マスク) Reusable knit fabric masks manufactured in STR's own textile factories, featuring cooling effects, breathability, and comfort. Available in five sizes (XXS, XS, S, M, L), sold 2 pieces per package through direct e-commerce at queens-lab.jp.
• OEM Ladies' Innerwear and Foundation Garment Manufacturing Contract manufacturing services for ladies' innerwear, foundation garments, and lingerie with integrated management from product planning through manufacturing and logistics. Production utilizes dual bases in Japan (New Lady factory) and China (three Yarisu factories) with TSS (Toyota Sewing System) for flexible small-lot short-lead-time production.
• Elastic Polyurethane Blend Fabrics Specialty stretch textile materials including hem fabrics and scala fabrics, developed for innerwear, outerwear, and sports applications. The Material Division develops approximately 100 fabric prototypes per year using dedicated trial knitting machines alongside mass production equipment.
• 3D Knit SEAT Surface Materials (三次元立体編 SEAT表皮材) Three-dimensional knit seat surface materials used in automotive seating, railway interiors (Shinkansen, Linear Motor Car), and escalator step applications.
• Bee Guard Protective Wear (ハチガードウェア) Specialized knit protective wear designed to protect beekeepers from bee stings during pest control and bee removal operations.
• Medical and Comfort Textile Products Medical-grade textile products including bedsore prevention pads (褥瘡防止敷パット), breathable comfort mats (快適通気性敷マット), sheet heaters (面状発熱シート), and civil engineering textile materials developed using 3D knit technology.
• Artificial Turf / Sports Surface (人工芝) Artificial grass developed for sports surfaces using STR's proprietary textile and knitting technology.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3D body measurement accuracy within 3mm error
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered notable and core.

• 富山県生活工学研究所 (Toyama Prefecture Life Engineering Research Institute)notableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developed the Benea functional innerwear product with the Toyama Prefecture Life Engineering Research Institute. Benea was selected as a Toyama Product (富山プロダクツ), demonstrating government-academia collaboration in functional textile development.
• 富士レース産業株式会社 (Fuji Lace Industry Co., Ltd.)coreOthersGroup company and adjacent knitting factory. Produces innerwear and industrial material fabrics. Fuji Lace's proximity to STR headquarters enables rapid prototyping, quality verification, and modification of trial fabrics within short timeframes. ISO9001 certified.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Toyobo Co., Ltd. Major Japanese textile and material science company producing functional fabrics, films, and industrial materials. Comparable on the technical textiles side, particularly functional polyurethane blends and industrial fiber applications.
• Seiren Co., Ltd. Larger Japanese textile manufacturer with apparel and industrial/technical textile divisions, including automotive and electronics applications. Overlaps with STR's Material Division on technical fabric innovation and warp knitting capabilities.
• Hanesbrands Inc. Global innerwear and activewear conglomerate with brands including Maidenform, Champion, and Bali. Comparable OEM/brand scale in the ladies' innerwear category with global manufacturing footprint.
• Nisshinbo Textile Inc. Diversified Japanese textile manufacturer producing woven/knit fabrics for apparel and industrial applications. Comparable on warp knit fabric production and B2B fabric supply to apparel manufacturers.

Direct peers

• Atsugi Co., Ltd. Japanese hosiery and innerwear manufacturer with proprietary knitting operations. Comparable as a domestic peer focused on knit-based apparel and body-fitting garments for women.
• Gunze Limited: Japanese manufacturer of innerwear, hosiery, legwear, and functional apparel with own knitting and sewing operations. Comparable vertically integrated textile/apparel peer serving similar OEM and proprietary channels in Japan.
• Wacoal Holdings Corp. Japan's largest intimate apparel manufacturer, producing ladies' innerwear, foundation garments, and shapewear. Directly comparable as a domestic Japanese OEM/brand player in the same core innerwear category, with broader global scale.
• Triumph International Japan: Global intimate apparel brand with strong Japan presence producing bras, shapewear, and foundation garments. Directly competes in the ladies' innerwear category through both proprietary brands and OEM production.

Emerging players

• Bodygee (TG3D Studio): 3D body scanning technology company focused on apparel fit and mass-customization applications. Directly comparable to STR's Cousette scanner in the emerging made-to-measure innerwear and wellness verticals.

Regional players

• Shimamura Co., Ltd. Japanese apparel retailer with private-label sourcing relationships including innerwear. Comparable channel-side, sourcing from Japanese OEM manufacturers like STR for mass-market innerwear SKUs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CorporationStr

Compliance3 records

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 STR