Uchino
Uchino Co., Ltd. is a privately held Japanese premium textile manufacturer (founded 1937, HQ Tokyo) that designs towels, bathrobes, pajamas, and bedding around patented proprietary materials such as Marshmallow Gauze® and Crepe Gauze®, selling through 100+ Japanese department stores, owned outlets and flagship stores, e-commerce, and international luxury retailers across 20+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1937
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Uchino does
Uchino Co., Ltd. is a privately held Japanese premium textile manufacturer founded in 1937 as a textile trading company and incorporated in 1947, headquartered in Nihonbashi Horidomecho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo. The company designs and produces towels, bathrobes, pajamas, bedding, slippers, and relaxing wear built around proprietary material technologies including Marshmallow Gauze® (patented in 10 countries), Crepe Gauze® (9 countries), Miracle Towel®/Super Marshmallow®, Blissful Towel®, Air Waffle®, and IFMC (Integrated Functional Mineral Crystals) processing, developed in collaboration with Teikoku Pharmaceutical and University of Tokyo's UTSSI.
UCHINO serves two primary customer segments: individual consumers seeking premium comfort and wellness products (tactile-focused bath, sleep, and relaxation goods), and B2B/corporate customers including hotels, beauty salons, spas, saunas, and retail/wholesale partners purchasing OEM or commercial-grade textiles. The company monetizes through unit-priced retail sales (¥1,320–¥24,200 per item across product tiers), B2B e-commerce (uchinob2b.shop), OEM contracts, and licensed collaborations (historically Disney and Yves Saint Laurent; currently L'Occitane and Begin Market). Distribution is multi-channel: directly operated UCHINO TOUCH and UCHINO Relax flagship stores plus factory outlets, 100+ Japanese department store wholesale partnerships (Takashimaya, Mitsukoshi, Isetan, Seibu), international luxury retailers (Harrods, Le Bon Marché, Takashimaya Singapore, Raffles City), and wholly owned subsidiaries in Singapore (1990), China manufacturing (Shanghai Uchino Co., Ltd., 1993), France (UCHINO FRANCE SAS, 2013), and a Thailand joint venture (Racha Uchino, 1988).
The company is led by CEO Uchino Nobuyuki (内野貴信), is family-controlled with no disclosed institutional investors, and operates without public funding or listing. Recognized by 8–10 consecutive years of multiple industry awards (OMOTENASHI Selection Gold, Hospitality Selection Gold, Department Store Buyers Living Award), Les Decouverts at Maison & Objet, and selection as a Harvard Business School project partner, Uchino positions itself as a "lifestyle designing" company rather than a commodity towel maker.
Uchino firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Uchino
- Legal name
- Uchino Co., Ltd.
- Website
- https://uchino.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1937
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Uchino Co., Ltd. is a privately held Japanese premium textile manufacturer (founded 1937, HQ Tokyo) that designs towels, bathrobes, pajamas, and bedding around patented proprietary materials such as Marshmallow Gauze® and Crepe Gauze®, selling through 100+ Japanese department stores, owned outlets and flagship stores, e-commerce, and international luxury retailers across 20+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Uchino industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Premium Home Textiles and Towels
- NAICS
- Curtain and Linen Mills (31412), Other Textile Product Mills (3149), Linen Supply (812331), Linen and Uniform Supply (81233)
- SIC
- Broadwoven Fabric Mills, Cotton (2211), Textile Mill Products (2200), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores (5700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Bath & Kitchen Linen Manufacturing (Towels/Washcloths/Bathmats/Dish Towels) (IMAOAKAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Bath Linens Retail (Towels, Bath Mats, Robes) (CRAIALAB), Medical & Hygiene Technical Textiles (Gauze/Drapes/Wipes/Barrier Fabrics) (IMAOADAD)
Keywords
Where Uchino is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices10 records
Markets served
Uchino business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- B2C Product Sales: Direct sales of premium textile products (towels, pajamas, bathrobes, bedding, slippers) to individual consumers through owned retail stores, e-commerce (uchino.shop), and department store partnerships.
- B2B Commercial/OEM: OEM manufacturing and commercial supply of bathrobes and textiles to accommodation facilities, beauty salons, spas, and saunas. B2B e-commerce platform (uchinob2b.shop) for business customers.
- Retail/Wholesale: Wholesale distribution to department stores and retail partners across Japan and internationally.
- Licensing/Royalty: Licensed collaborations with brands including Disney, Yves Saint Laurent, and L'Occitane.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 100% Cotton Recovery Series - apparel and accessories with IFMC processing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Blissful towel® series - premium towels with exceptional texture |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Marshmallow Gauze® Pajamas - premium sleepwear |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Miracle Towel® Super Marshmallow® - premium bath towels |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Uchino product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Uchino manufactures and sells premium home and personal textile products — including towels, bathrobes, pajamas, relaxing wear, baby and kids items, bedding, slippers, and towel handkerchiefs — built on patented proprietary materials such as Marshmallow Gauze® and Crepe Gauze®. The company operates directly managed retail stores, factory outlets, and e-commerce platforms for individual consumers, and provides OEM/manufacturing and wholesale services to hotels, spas, salons, and department stores in over 20 countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- UCHINO TOUCH: Flagship wellness concept store focused on touch as medicine, promoting healthy tactile culture and five-sense wellness
- UCHINO Relax
- UCHINO Bath & Relaxation
- UCHINO Factory Outlet
- UCHINO Premium
Products and services
- Towels Bath towels, hand towels, face towels, and guest towels made from proprietary materials including Marshmallow Gauze®, Miracle Towel®/Super Marshmallow®, Blissful Towel®, Crepe Gauze®, and Air Waffle®. Targeted at health-conscious individual consumers seeking premium, sustainable, OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 Class I certified bath linens.
- Bathrobes Bathrobes made with specialized gauze and pile materials including Airy Touch® and Marshmallow Gauze & Pile® for comfort, lightness, and warmth. Sold through retail and B2B channels for consumer and hospitality use.
- Pajamas Sleepwear and pajamas including Marshmallow Gauze® pajamas and Crepe Gauze® pajamas series, designed for comfort, temperature regulation, and moisture management during sleep. Targeted at adult men, women, and children; also supplied through hospitality collaborations such as the Rihga Royal Hotel Tokyo 'Good Sleep Stay Plan'.
- Relaxing Wear Casual and loungewear designed for comfort and relaxation, often featuring Marshmallow Gauze® or Crepe Gauze® materials, sold under the UCHINO Relax sub-brand for everyday lifestyle use.
- Baby & Kids Products for infants and children including small-sized underwear and swaddling clothes made with gentle Marshmallow Gauze® material, recommended by the Japan Atopic Dermatitis Association for sensitive skin.
- Towel Handkerchief Compact handkerchiefs made from towel material, combining absorbency with portability for everyday carry.
- Bedding Bedding items including throws, lap blankets, pillowcases, and other sleep-related products made with specialized gauze materials for at-home comfort.
- 100% Cotton Recovery Series Apparel and accessories collection featuring IFMC (Integrated Functional Mineral Crystals) processing manufactured by Teikoku Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. based on hot spring therapy; promotes blood circulation when in contact with the body. Includes eye mask, gauze pajamas, knit T-shirt, knit straight pants, throw, gauze lap blanket, gauze scarf, and slippers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Marshmallow Gauze® pajamas absorb 3x more water than regular cotton jersey
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Uchino
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Uchino technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Uchino partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Teikoku Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.coreCollaboration on IFMC. (Integrated Functional Mineral Crystals) processing technology for the 100% Cotton Recovery Series. Teikoku Pharmaceutical manufactures nanometer-level mineral crystals based on hot spring therapy that promote blood circulation when in contact with the body.
- mucavacoreCollaboration on Recovery Series - combining UCHINO's comfort with mucava's IFMC processing technology. mucava is a relaxing wear brand that uses IFMC. processing inspired by hot spring therapy.
- L'Occitane Japon Co., Ltd.minorCollaboration towels with L'Occitane appeared in L'Occitane official online shopping campaign.
- Begin MarketminorCollaboration on 'zen towel' - stylish towel with minimalist aesthetic. Sold starting June 2024.
- Iwate Hospice AssociationminorSince 2009, donations of marshmallow gauze caps to cancer patients. In 2013, co-developed skin-friendly caps. UCHINO donates 5% of cap sales as support funding.
- Paramount Bed Co., Ltd.coreTriple collaboration with Rihga Royal Hotel Tokyo and UCHINO for Good Sleep Stay Plan. Paramount Bed provides 'Active Sleep' technology in the hotel stay package that also includes Marshmallow Gauze® pajamas.
- Rihga Royal Hotel TokyocoreGood Sleep Stay Plan collaboration - hotel guests experience Paramount Bed's Active Sleep and receive UCHINO Marshmallow Gauze® pajamas. Multiple collaboration plans implemented from 2022.
- Kurumu General Incorporated AssociationminorSupport for premature babies (low birth weight infants) and their families. UCHINO provides Marshmallow Gauze® swaddling clothes and small underwear to medical institutions. Approximately 1 in 10 babies in Japan are born with low birth weight.
- Mottainai JapanminorTowel Recycling Initiative partner. Collected towels are delivered to welfare facilities, nursing homes, and children's cafeterias in Japan. Part of SDG Goal 12 'Responsible Consumption and Production' efforts.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Uchino competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Kassatex: US-based premium home textiles brand offering towels, robes, and bedding to luxury retailers, hotels, and direct consumers. Comparable to UCHINO in product category, premium positioning, and emphasis on hotel/spa supply channel.
- Frette: Italian luxury linen brand (est. 1860) supplying premium towels, bedding, and robes to luxury hotels (Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons) and high-end retailers worldwide. Directly comparable to UCHINO in product category (premium bath linens), heritage positioning, and luxury hospitality customer base.
- Matouk: American luxury linens manufacturer (est. 1929) producing premium towels, bedding, and table linens for high-end retail and hospitality. Comparable to UCHINO in product category, family-owned heritage positioning, and focus on premium department store distribution.
- Christy Towels: British heritage towel brand (est. 1850) supplying premium towels to luxury department stores and hotels globally. Directly comparable to UCHINO in product category (premium bath towels), customer base (luxury retail and hospitality), and brand positioning as a heritage towel specialist.
Broad incumbents
- Welspun India: One of the world's largest towel manufacturers with vertically-integrated cotton supply and own retail brands (Christy, Spaces). Comparable to UCHINO in towel manufacturing expertise but at vastly greater scale and broader geographic footprint; competes in both mass and premium tiers.
- Trident Group: Indian vertically-integrated textile conglomerate manufacturing towels, bed linens, and yarn for global retail and hospitality customers. Comparable to UCHINO in towel manufacturing capability but at significantly larger scale and broader product breadth across price tiers.
Regional players
- Imabari Towel: Japanese premium towel brand collective from Imabari (Ehime prefecture), Japan's renowned towel manufacturing region. Most direct domestic competitor to UCHINO in the Japanese premium towel market, sharing heritage craftsmanship positioning and department store distribution.
- Onsen towel / Hotta Textile: Japanese towel manufacturer and retailer with strong heritage in Imabari towels and premium cotton textile products for both domestic and international markets. Direct domestic peer to UCHINO in Japanese premium towel manufacturing and retail.
Emerging players
- Parachute Home: US-based DTC premium home essentials brand focused on bedding, bath, and loungewear. Comparable to UCHINO in product category (premium bath towels and robes) and emphasis on natural materials, but contrasts with digital-first brand-building vs. UCHINO's department store and luxury retail strategy.
- Brooklinen: US-based DTC premium home linens brand (sheets, towels, loungewear) founded 2014. Comparable to UCHINO in product category and premium positioning but differentiated by digital-first GTM and US market focus, contrasting with UCHINO's department store and physical retail dominance.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks1 record
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Uchino social profiles
Digital presenceUchino financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Uchino leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Uchino subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Uchino funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Uchino 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 Uchino
What does Uchino do?
Uchino manufactures and sells premium home and personal textile products — including towels, bathrobes, pajamas, relaxing wear, baby and kids items, bedding, slippers, and towel handkerchiefs — built on patented proprietary materials such as Marshmallow Gauze® and Crepe Gauze®. The company operates directly managed retail stores, factory outlets, and e-commerce platforms for individual consumers, and provides OEM/manufacturing and wholesale services to hotels, spas, salons, and department stores in over 20 countries.
Is Uchino a public or private company?
Uchino is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Uchino founded?
Uchino was founded in 1937. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Uchino based?
Uchino is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Uchino make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. B2C Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are B2B Commercial/OEM, retail/Wholesale and licensing/Royalty.
Who are Uchino's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Kassatex, Frette, Matouk and Christy Towels. Broad incumbents are Welspun India and Trident Group. Regional players are Imabari Towel and Onsen towel / Hotta Textile. Emerging players are Parachute Home and Brooklinen.
Does Uchino have an API?
No public API is recorded for Uchino.
What industry is Uchino in?
Uchino's product category is Premium Home Textiles and Towels. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAOAKAB, Bath & Kitchen Linen Manufacturing (Towels/Washcloths/Bathmats/Dish Towels), with a secondary code of CRAIALAB, Bath Linens Retail (Towels, Bath Mats, Robes). Its NAICS code is 31412 and its SIC code is 2211.