Surushi

What Surushi does

Surushi Co., Ltd. (株式会社スルシィ) is a Japan-headquartered fair-trade fashion brand founded in November 2011 that designs and sells hand-crocheted raffia bags produced by approximately 60 Filipino women knitters based in Carcar City, Cebu, Philippines. The company's core technology is a single-crochet-hook technique using natural Philippine raffia palm-leaf fiber, processed without chlorination for a chocolate-brown color or plant-based oxalic acid bleaching for a beige variant. Product lines include approximately 40 standard bag designs (tote, shoulder, handbag, basket, clutch) priced around ¥11,111, seasonal Christmas ornaments, a luxury 'Tanji x Sulci' collaboration line priced from ¥35,200 to ¥198,000, and complementary services including free bag repair, paid workshops (¥2,200), and Cebu-based study tours.

The company operates a hybrid B2C/B2B go-to-market motion: direct-to-consumer sales through a Shopify e-commerce store and main website (sulci.co.jp), seasonal pop-up stores at major Japanese department stores including Takashimaya, Isetan, Daimaru, Tokyu, and Keio (April through August annually), and trade show participation at manicolle tokyo and FaW Tokyo. Wholesale and OEM services provide a small B2B channel. Customer segments are primarily eco-conscious Japanese fashion consumers and gift/souvenir buyers, with a horizontal segmentation approach emphasizing the ethical × fair-trade narrative. Each bag includes a profile card of the knitter who made it, and customer messages are forwarded to makers.

As of December 26, 2025, Surushi became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bellevue Consulting Co., Ltd., which injected 10 million yen in capital. Founder Satomi Sekiya was succeeded by Takayuki Shimura as CEO and Hiroko Yamazaki as COO. On June 1, 2026, headquarters relocated from Shinagawa to Fuchu, Tokyo, as part of business integration and corporate restructuring aimed at regeneration and profitability. The Philippine production operations are conducted through a local entity, Sulci Handicrafts Trading, housed in a purpose-built workshop completed in 2020 after a 2019 crowdfunding campaign.

Name

Surushi

Legal name

株式会社スルシィ

Website

https://sulci.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Surushi is a Japan-headquartered fair-trade fashion brand founded in 2011 that designs and sells hand-crocheted raffia bags produced by approximately 60 Filipino women knitters in Cebu, Philippines, distributed via Shopify e-commerce and seasonal department store pop-ups across Japan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Handcrafted Raffia Handbags

NAICS

Textile Bag and Canvas Mills (314910), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)

akta.pro primary industry

Handbags & Fashion Bags Manufacturing (IMAOAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Handbags & Purses (CRAAAJAA), Luxury Handbags & Leather Goods (CRAAAFAD), Backpacks & Travel Bags (CRAAAJAB)

Keywords

• Fair trade bags
• Hand-crocheted raffia
• Ethical fashion accessories
• Artisan handbags
• Natural fiber bags

Headquarters

HQ city

Shinkawa

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct product sales (B2C): Sulci sells hand-crocheted raffia bags directly to consumers through its Shopify e-commerce store and at department store pop-up events across Japan. Sales are one-time product transactions with no recurring subscription component.
2. Wholesale and OEM: Sulci offers wholesale and OEM partnerships for businesses interested in selling or customizing their raffia bag products.
3. Gift/gift wrap items and accessories: Sulci sells small crocheted items such as Christmas ornaments (Santa figures, stockings, candy canes) and craft kits, typically as one-time purchases.
4. Workshops: Sulci conducts paid workshops where participants learn to make raffia flower brooches or rings. Fee is ¥2,200 per session, approximately 1 hour in duration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Surushi designs, produces, and sells hand-crocheted bags and accessories made from natural Philippine raffia, manufactured by a community of approximately 60 Filipino women knitters working from home and at the Carcar City workshop in Cebu, Philippines. The core product line is roughly 40 raffia bag designs (tote, shoulder, handbag, basket, clutch) sold in Japan through a Shopify online store and seasonal pop-ups at major department stores. Surrounding offerings include a luxury Tanji x Sulci knit sculpture line, seasonal Christmas ornaments, a free bag-repair service, paid raffia craft workshops, study tours of the Cebu workshop, and wholesale/OEM services to retailers and brands.

Product overview

Surushi is a handcrafted raffia bag brand operating a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform alongside wholesale and OEM services. The core product line consists of handwoven raffia bags produced by Filipino artisans in Cebu, sold through their Shopify-powered online store and department store pop-up events. The portfolio includes standard raffia bags (approximately 40 designs), the premium Tanji x Sulci designer collaboration line, seasonal Christmas ornaments, and complementary services including bag repairs, craft workshops, and Cebu-based study tours. The company also offers OEM and wholesale options for business partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Raffia Bags (Handwoven) Hand-crocheted bags made from natural Philippine raffia by Filipino women artisans, in about 40 designs covering tote, shoulder, handbag, basket, and clutch styles; targeted at Japanese consumers seeking ethical, fair-trade fashion accessories.
• Tanji x Sulci Premium designer collaboration line of sculptural knit raffia bags by knitwear designer Motohiro Tanji, offering 13 higher-end styles priced from ¥35,200 to ¥198,000; aimed at premium fashion buyers.
• Raffia Christmas Ornaments Hand-knitted raffia Christmas decorations, including Santa figures (¥7,700–¥8,800) and ornament/stocking/staff sets (¥3,300–¥3,850), sold on pre-order; targets gift and seasonal buyers.
• Bag Repair Service Free repair service that extends the lifespan of Surushi raffia bags; customers send bags to the Tokyo office for maintenance.
• Raffia Workshop Experiences In-person workshops where participants learn to make small raffia flower brooches or rings; ¥2,200 per session (~1 hour), materials and tools provided; aimed at consumers seeking a hands-on fair-trade craft experience.
• Study Tours (Cebu Workshop Visit) Educational tours to Surushi's Carcar City, Cebu workshop, including knitter home visits, raffia-craft sessions, and fair-trade program explanations; available to individuals and groups.
• OEM and Wholesale B2B wholesale and OEM services for retailers, department stores, and brands seeking to stock or co-create Sulci raffia bags with custom design elements; engaged by inquiry.

Quantifiable outcome

• Recidivism reduction through prison training and employment program for incarcerated women in Carcar City
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and moderate.

• JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 August 2025Sulci participated in JICA's thematic training program 'Promoting Women's Business and Entrepreneurship in Africa' (JICA FemPOWER Africa). Sulci attended a women entrepreneurs exchange meeting connecting with 10 African women entrepreneurs from Angola, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Congo, Sudan, and Senegal, exchanging insights on cross-border business.
• Motohiro Tanji (ニット彫刻デザイナー)moderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Knitwear designer Motohiro Tanji, a graduate of Keio University and Nottingham Trent University (MA Knitwear Design, top of class), launched a luxury 'Knit Sculpture' raffia bag collection with Sulci in 2025. The collection features 13 bag designs priced from ¥35,200 to ¥198,000. Tanji has won awards including the International Woolmark Prize (2016 Japan representative) and a Bronze Prize at Salon des Beaux-Arts Paris (2018).
• 文化服装学院 (Bunka Fashion College)moderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 October 2021In 2021, as part of Sulci's 10th anniversary, a bag design contest was held for 80 second- and third-year students from the Knit Design Department. 11 students were selected to create bag designs using Sulci raffia bags combined with yarn and other materials. The collaboration has continued in subsequent years (2025-2026) under the '26年ツナグアクション' program, with students from the Bag Design Department adding leftover leather to embellish bags. The 2026 collection is being exhibited and sold at Takashimaya stores.
• 福井県眼鏡協会 (Fukui Prefecture Eyeglass Association)minorOthers · 16 March 2021The Fukui Prefecture Eyeglass Association in Sabae donated 100 pairs of eyeglasses to Sulci's knitters. The glasses were collected through a glasses memorial service and selected to match the knitters' needs. This represents a community support initiative between Japanese craft organizations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mata Traders: Fair-trade bags and accessories brand producing handmade leather and textile handbags in India through artisan cooperatives. Comparable to Surushi in fair-trade artisan bag model, storytelling via maker profiles, and premium DTC positioning.
• Cuyana: Premium DTC handbag and accessory brand emphasizing ethical production, quality materials, and maker stories. Comparable to Surushi in premium handbag positioning, direct-to-consumer e-commerce model, and story-led branding.
• People Tree: Pioneer fair-trade fashion brand with a strong Japanese market presence, producing clothing and accessories from developing countries under fair-trade principles. Directly comparable to Surushi on ethical-fashion positioning and Japan-focused retail distribution.
• SoleRebels: Ethically handmade footwear and accessories brand from Ethiopia using natural locally-sourced materials, sold through premium channels worldwide. Comparable to Surushi in developing-country artisan production model and premium ethical-fashion positioning.
• Motherhouse: Japanese fair-trade fashion brand (マザーハウス) that produces bags and accessories using materials sourced from developing countries (Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, etc.). Highly comparable to Surushi in mission, Japan-centric DTC retail model, and developing-country artisan production.

Emerging players

• Kammok: Outdoor lifestyle brand making handcrafted adventure gear including hammocks and packs. Partial overlap with Surushi's outdoor/travel-oriented raffia bag styles (tote, shoulder, basket) and growing DTC premium positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Globe-Trotter: Premium British heritage luggage and bag brand, handcrafted using traditional materials and methods. Comparable to Surushi as a premium handcrafted bag brand sold through department-store channels, though much larger and broader in product scope.

Regional players

• Aniary: Premium Japanese leather bag brand sold through department stores and specialty retail. Comparable to Sulci as a Japan-focused premium handbag brand with department-store distribution, though uses leather rather than raffia.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCf5QryvFcYM5qDQ2JJf17Dg
• Facebookfacebook.com/SulciBag
• Instagraminstagram.com/sulci_japan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Surushi