What UTAX does

UTAX CO.,LTD. is a Japanese specialty manufacturer of intimate apparel, lingerie accessories, sportswear, and controlled medical devices, founded in 1956 as Izumi Hoko Co., Ltd. and renamed UTAX in 1985. The firm operates a vertically integrated Asian manufacturing footprint spanning Japan (Nishiwaki headquarters and Tokyo branch), Hong Kong and Zhongshan in China, Chiangmai in Thailand, and sales offices in Shanghai, Bangkok, and Taipei. Group headcount is approximately 2,000 employees as of April 2026, with the head office accounting for around 200 staff. UTAX holds the top domestic Japan market share in bra accessories and components, supported by proprietary process technologies developed over decades, including Compression Bonding, DPW (Direct Polymer Printing), computerised underwire bending, nylon coating, and in-house dyeing operations since 1989. Specialty materials such as 9Shuun shock-absorbing material (impact reduction greater than 50%) and JIS JD/JC-class photoluminescent material (approximately 12 hours of visibility after 20 minutes of luminescence) extend the technology platform into adjacent industrial and safety segments.

The core product portfolio comprises five lines: Ladies and Mens Seamless Underwear, Accessories for Lingerie (hook & eye tape, underwire, bias tape, ring & slides, wire casing, snap tape, fixel tape, plastic hook, bone, non-woven fabric, pads, fabric), Sports Apparel (supporters, compression wear, recovery wear), Medical Products (low-frequency therapy equipment, magnetic therapy apparatus, antimicrobial seamless face masks) under a Medical Device Manufacturer registration obtained in September 2019, and Life Goods (face masks, skin gloves, protector pads, insoles, thermo packs). Revenue is generated through a B2B enterprise model selling directly to intimate apparel, sportswear, and medical device manufacturers, supported by wholly-owned regional sales offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Bangkok, and Taipei, plus active participation in major international trade shows including Premiere Vision Paris, Interfiliere Paris, Performance Days Munich, and Global Sources Fashion Hong Kong. Quotes are provided on request; no public pricing exists. UTAX is privately held, family-controlled by the Utaka family (President and CEO Daisuke Utaka, who assumed the role in 2017), with no disclosed private equity, venture capital, or public-market ownership. International trading of apparel materials serves global markets spanning China, the Americas, Europe, ASEAN, India, Sri Lanka, Oceania, and Taiwan.

Name

UTAX

Legal name

UTAX CO.,LTD.

Website

https://utaxworldwide.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

UTAX CO.,LTD. is a Japanese B2B manufacturer of seamless intimate apparel, lingerie accessories, sportswear, and licensed medical devices, operating across Japan, China, Thailand, and Taiwan with proprietary bonding, coating, and dyeing technologies and the #1 Japan share in bra accessories.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Intimate Apparel & Lingerie Components Manufacturing

NAICS

Apparel Manufacturing (315), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159)

SIC

Women's, Misses', Children's & Infants' Undergarments (2340), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)

akta.pro primary industry

Elastic, Tapes & Webbing Manufacturing (Elastic Bands/Binding/Strapping/Webbing) (IMAOALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Panties & Briefs (CRAAAIAB), Medical & Hygiene Technical Textiles (Gauze/Drapes/Wipes/Barrier Fabrics) (IMAOADAD)

Keywords

• Seamless intimate apparel
• Lingerie accessories manufacturing
• Sports compression wear
• Medical textile products
• Bonding technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Nishiwaki

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Intimate Apparel Manufacturing: Developing and producing intimate apparel including ladies and mens underwear with 100% seamless technology. Core business driving top market share in Japan for bra accessories and components.
2. Lingerie Accessories: Manufacturing accessories for lingerie including hook & eye tape, underwire, bias tape, ring & slides, wire casing, snap tape, fixel tape, plastic hook, bone, non-woven fabric, pad, and fabric. Own technology on nylon coating, dyeing, and resin bonding.
3. Sports Apparel: Developing and producing sports apparel including supporters, compression wear, and recovery wear for amateur and professional athletes. Applied seamless, bonding, and functional print technology.
4. Medical Devices: Handling marketing license for medical devices (controlled medical devices) including low frequency therapy equipment and magnetic therapy apparatus. Products include seamless face masks with antimicrobial/antiviral effects.
5. Life Goods: Developing and producing life goods such as face masks, skin gloves, protector pads, insoles, and thermo packs applying intimate apparel quality standards to other fields.
6. International Trading: International trading for apparel materials. Global sales network covering China, Hong Kong, North & South America, Europe, Thailand, ASEAN, USA, India, Sri Lanka, Oceania, Taiwan.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

UTAX manufactures and sells intimate apparel (ladies and mens seamless underwear), lingerie accessories and components (hook & eye tape, underwire, bias tape, ring & slides, etc.), sports apparel (supporters, compression, recovery wear), medical textiles (controlled medical devices via marketing license), and life goods (face masks, gloves, insoles). Production is supported by proprietary bonding, resin printing, metal processing, nylon coating and dyeing technologies across manufacturing facilities in Japan, China, and Thailand.

Product overview

UTAX CO.,LTD is a Japanese manufacturer specializing in intimate apparel, sports apparel, and accessories for lingerie with over 60 years of experience. The company operates a vertically integrated manufacturing system under an 'Automated Smart Production' policy. UTAX's core product portfolio consists of five main categories: Ladies & Mens Underwear (featuring 100% Seamless technology), Accessories for Lingerie (including Hook & Eye Tape, Under Wire, Bias Tape, and other components with top market share in Japan), Sports Apparel (compression wear, supporters, recovery wear), Medical Products (with marketing licenses for medical devices), and Life Goods (face masks, gloves, protector pads). Supporting these products are proprietary manufacturing technologies including Compression Bonding, DPW (Direct Polymer Printing), Metal Processing, Nylon Coating, and Dyeing Services. The company also offers specialized materials such as 9Shuun (shock-absorbing material) and Photoluminescent materials. UTAX's global operations span Japan (Hyogo, Tokyo), China (Hong Kong, Zhongshan, Shanghai), Thailand, and Taiwan, with recent focus on integrating AI technology into production and supply chain systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Underwear (Ladies & Mens) 100% Seamless intimate apparel using unique production techniques and anti-fray fabric, delivering comfort, smooth support, and natural shape without stress. Includes Ladies Seamless Underwear and Mens Seamless Underwear lines. Targeted at apparel manufacturers and brands selling finished intimate apparel.
• Accessories for Lingerie Comprehensive range of bra accessories and components: Hook & Eye Tape (Sewing and Seamless versions), Under Wire (POSCO, Non-Detectable, Shape Memory, Plastic), Bias Tape, Ring & Slides, Wire Casing, Snap Tape, Fixel Tape, Plastic Hook, Bone, Non-Woven Fabric, Pad, and Fabric. UTAX holds top market share in Japan for this category. For lingerie and bra manufacturers.
• Sports Apparel High-tech wear for amateur and professional athletes including supporters, compression wear, and recovery wear. Developed in collaboration with sports brands and specialists, featuring seamless and bonding technology to minimize sewing parts and reduce skin trouble. Targeted at sportswear brand manufacturers.
• Medical Products Garments developed using seamless bonding technology for medical applications with a focus on smooth, comfortable, skin-friendly products. UTAX holds a marketing license for controlled medical devices (low frequency therapy equipment, magnetic therapy apparatus) and collaborates with medical institutions through the Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation at Kobe. For medical device marketers and healthcare institutions.
• Life Goods Garments and solutions for daily life comfort and safety including Face masks, Skin Gloves, Protector Pad, Insole, and Thermo pack. Applies intimate apparel technology to achieve comfortable fitting outside the apparel field. For consumer product brands and distributors.
• Seamless Face Mask - Basic Type Washable and reusable seamless face mask with antimicrobial and antiviral effect, destroying or inhibiting growth of pathogenic microorganisms and virus. Available in sizes M/L, colors Black/Light Pink/Gray. Features free-cut fabric for custom fitting and custom logo printing capability.
• Seamless Face Mask - Frame Type Seamless face mask with adjustable frame bonded by special resin that creates space for easy breathing. Features good-looking design, breathable construction, and size-adjustable functionality by twisting the frame. Includes reusable bag.

Quantifiable outcome

• Shock-absorbing material 9Shuun reduces impact more than 50%
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation at KobecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUTAX collaborates with the Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation at Kobe for research and development of medical devices. UTAX handles marketing license for controlled medical devices such as low frequency therapy equipment and magnetic therapy apparatus.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves16 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Toyobo: Large Japanese textile and materials manufacturer spanning fibers, functional fabrics, and industrial materials. Comparable as a Japanese textile/materials platform though Toyobo serves a far broader range of end markets than UTAX.
• Toray Industries: Global Japanese materials giant producing advanced fibers and functional textiles including those used in intimate apparel and sportswear. Comparable on advanced textile R&D but operates at vastly greater scale across many end markets.
• Wacoal Holdings: Japan's leading intimate apparel brand and manufacturer with global operations. Comparable as a Japanese intimate apparel leader, though Wacoal is brand-led and end-product focused rather than the component/accessory focus of UTAX.
• Lycra Company (The Lycra Company): Global leader in elastane/spandex fibers and stretch technologies used across intimate apparel and sportswear. Comparable to UTAX's stretch/compression technologies but operates upstream in fiber production rather than finished components.

Direct peers

• Stretchline Holdings: UK-founded global manufacturer of narrow elastic fabrics, hook & eye tape, and lingerie accessories with manufacturing in Sri Lanka and Asia. Direct competitor to UTAX in intimate apparel components and the closest global scale peer in lingerie trims/accessories.
• Seiren: Japanese textile manufacturer specializing in advanced apparel materials, functional fabrics, and seamless knitting technology. Comparable to UTAX on materials R&D depth and Japanese B2B textile/apparel manufacturing model.
• Clover Group International: Hong Kong-based intimate apparel component manufacturer (underwire, hook & eye tape, bra accessories) supplying global lingerie brands. Direct competitor in the lingerie accessories/components segment with similar product range to UTAX.
• Gunze: Japanese manufacturer of innerwear, hosiery, and functional apparel materials including seamless knitting. Comparable to UTAX on Japanese heritage, intimate apparel focus, and proprietary knitting/material technologies.
• Regina Miracle International: Hong Kong-listed OEM/ODM manufacturer of intimate apparel and bra components with extensive China and Vietnam production. Highly comparable to UTAX on product mix (bras, seamless technology) and customer base (global intimate apparel brands).
• Embry Form (Embry Group): Major China-based lingerie manufacturer with vertically integrated production. Comparable on intimate apparel manufacturing capability and Asia-centric supply chain serving global intimate apparel brands.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries6 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 UTAX