What Chikuma does

Chikuma & Co., Ltd. (株式会社チクマ) is a privately held Japanese uniform specialty company headquartered in Osaka, founded in 1903 (Meiji 36). The company designs, manufactures, and manages uniforms and apparel for enterprise, educational, and consumer end markets, organized around three product pillars: custom original uniforms (one-stop from design consultation through production, delivery, management, and recycling), ready-made uniforms sold via catalogs and e-commerce under the 'HATA-RAKU-FUKU' brand family (ALPHA PIER, MARY QUANT, The FELLOWS, YUKI TORII, U-FACTORY), and school uniforms distributed through a nationwide dealer network.

The company's underlying technology stack combines proprietary IP — a patented two-layer internal pressure structure for electric-fan-cooled wearables co-developed with Makita and Teijin Frontier (sold as 'Chikuma-no Smaph'), the H.U.B web-based uniform lifecycle management system with IC-tag tracking (evolved since 2008), a material recycling system ('Arshin') that processes used uniforms into automotive interior materials, and a -79°C dry-ice cooling vest ('Hyotenka Best') co-developed with Sakurai Seisakusho. Manufacturing is vertically integrated across China (Shanghai/Changzhou), Vietnam (Da Nang), and Myanmar (Yangon), with wholly owned logistics subsidiaries Chikuma PD Osaka and Chikuma PD Hiroshima handling domestic distribution and reuse.

Revenue mechanics span one-time custom uniform orders, catalog-based ready-made sales (two catalog refreshes per year), managed uniform services through H.U.B, recycling processing fees under the Chikuma No Loop brand (closed-loop system with NCS, Kitakyushu City, and AEON retail collection points), and direct hardware sales of Smaph and cooling products through Amazon, Rakuten, and BASE. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales with dedicated business uniform and school uniform divisions, supplemented by trade show participation (Heat Countermeasure Expo, TOOL JAPAN, Building Maintenance Fair), a 2021-launched 'Chikumauni' e-commerce site, and consumer drop-off at approximately 290 AEON stores. The company holds the Ministry of Environment's Wide-area Certification No. 1 (2004, first in the apparel industry), an EPD environmental label (first in apparel), and has won the L'Oréal Best Partner Award (Sustainability, 2022) and Senken Synthetic Fiber New Frontier Award (2022) for its heat-management and recycling innovations.

Name

Chikuma

Legal name

株式会社チクマ

Website

http://www.chikuma.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1903

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Chikuma is a 120-year-old Japanese uniform specialist (founded 1903, Osaka) providing custom enterprise, ready-made, and school uniforms, with proprietary electric-fan wearables, dry-ice cooling vests, IC-tagged H.U.B lifecycle management, and a closed-loop Chikuma No Loop recycling system serving corporate, hospitality, government, and event clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Uniform Manufacturing

NAICS

Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Workwear, Uniform & Protective Apparel Manufacturers (CRAAAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workwear, Uniforms & Safety Apparel Cut & Sew (IMAOAEAC), Protective & Safety Textiles (FR/Arc/Heat/Cut/Chemical) (IMAOADAA), Cold-Weather & Thermal Protective Workwear (CRAAALAJ), Cleanroom & Controlled-Environment Apparel (CRAAALAG)

Keywords

• Uniform manufacturing
• Corporate uniforms
• School uniforms
• Workwear recycling
• Fabric trading

Headquarters

HQ city

Osaka

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Uniform Sales (オリジナルユニフォーム): Bespoke uniform manufacturing for enterprises, including design consultation, material selection, production, delivery, and management. Core B2B revenue stream targeting corporate branding and employee uniform needs.
2. Ready-Made Uniform Catalog Sales (既製ユニフォーム): Catalog-based sales of ready-made business wear under brands including ALPHA PIER, MARY QUANT, The FELLOWS, and U-FACTORY. Two catalogs issued annually.
3. School Uniforms (学生服): School uniform design, material planning, and sales through nationwide dealer networks.
4. Uniform Management Services (チクマノH.U.B): Recurring uniform management services including IC tag-based inventory control, storage, distribution, reuse, and recycling coordination.
5. Recycling and Sustainability Services (チクマノループ): Collection and recycling of used uniforms and general clothing. Revenue from processing fees and material recovery. Partnership with municipalities and AEON retail locations.
6. Electric Fan Wear Products (チクマノスマファ): Sale of proprietary electric fan-cooled wearable products including the Smaph series and Dry Ice Best. Available through e-commerce (Amazon, Rakuten, BASE) and direct B2B sales.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Chikuma designs, manufactures, and sells custom and ready-made uniforms for enterprises, schools, and consumers, along with textile/fabric trading operations. Its offering covers the full uniform lifecycle — brand analysis, design, material planning, production, delivery, IC tag-based inventory management (H.U.B), reuse, and recycling (Chikuma-no Loop, Arshin). The company also produces proprietary heat-management wearable products including Chikuma-no Smafa electric fan wear and Sub-zero Best dry-ice cooling vests for industrial and hazardous-environment workers.

Product overview

Chikuma is a uniform specialty company established in 1903 (Meiji 36) offering a comprehensive one-stop uniform operation system. The core product portfolio centers on three main pillars: (1) Custom Original Uniforms with the H.U.B uniform management system, (2) Ready-made uniforms under the 'HATA-RAKU-FUKU' (Work, Comfort, Clothing) concept featuring brands ALPHA PIER, MARY QUANT, The FELLOWS, and YUKI TORII, and (3) School uniforms. Specialty products include Chikuma-no Smafa (electric fan wear with patented two-layer structure), Sub-zero Best (dry ice cooling vest for extreme heat/fire hazard areas), and various functional products (femtech, DEI, high-visibility safety, DMAT uniforms). The sustainability ecosystem comprises Chikuma-no Loop and Arshin Recycling for material recycling into automobile interiors, plus Fukuiku educational program. Partner integrations include Makita batteries/fans, Teijin Frontier materials, Sakurai Seisakusho dry ice equipment, and Fujitsu General Cómodo Gear compatibility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• チクマノH.U.B（制服管理システム）: WEB受発注システムとICタグ等の管理識別コードを組み合わせた制服管理効率化システム。
• チクマノループ®
• チクマノスマファ®
• 氷点下ベスト®
• 服育®
• 働・楽・服（HATA・RAKU・FUKU）
• ALPHA PIER（アルファピア）
• MARY QUANT（マリークワント）
• The FELLOWS（ザ フェローズ）
• YUKI TORII（ユキ トオリイ）
• SMART SWEEP 制菌ダスター®

Quantifiable outcome

• 92.7% CO2 reduction when recycling vs incinerating 10,000 hotel uniforms
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Kansai Electric Power (関西電力グループ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 October 2025Chikuma produced VIP attendant staff uniforms for EXPO 2025 Osaka-Kansai. Design features UV-cut, sweat-wicking, cooling-touch, 2-way stretch polyester with white base and navy accents, plus tie-ribbon for professional appearance.
• TIS Inc. (TIS株式会社)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 October 2025Chikuma designed and produced uniforms for TIS's attendant staff at Osaka Healthcare Pavilion during EXPO 2025. Design features 'Wakamon' IT fairy character motif, asymmetric Japanese-inspired jacket, and Ocean Blue/Gray color scheme. Bags sewn by social welfare workshop.
• Tokyo Metro (東京メトロ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Upcycling partnership converting retired technical work uniforms into limited-edition work caps sold via CAMPFIRE crowdfunding (250 units). Social welfare organization Tokyo Colony handled cutting; local hat maker handled sewing.
• Panasonic Holdings (パナソニックグループ)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 August 2024Chikuma designed and produced staff uniforms for Panasonic Group Pavilion 'Nomo no Kuni' at EXPO 2025 Osaka-Kansai. Design emphasizes DEI inclusivity, wheelchair accessibility, and sustainability using plant-derived materials with post-event upcycling. Chikuma also participated in upcycling projects using pavilion facade materials.
• Sakurai Manufacturing (株式会社櫻製作所)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 July 2024Joint development of 'Below-Freezing Best' (-79°C dry ice cooling vest). Sakurai provides portable dry ice ingot manufacturing equipment 'Dry Ice Station'; Chikuma provides vest design and cooling application. Used for heat stroke prevention in environments exceeding 40°C and fire hazard areas.
• Fujitsu General (富士通ゼネラル)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2024Joint development of workwear compatible with Fujitsu General's 'Cómodo gear i3' wearable air conditioner. Chikuma designed garments with internal tube storage for full-harness workers, enabling safe use of neck cooling technology in industrial settings.
• Kasukabe City Fire Department (春日部市消防本部)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2023Firefighting uniform recycling using wide-area certification. Previously incinerated due to anti-fraud concerns; now material recycled into automotive interior components via Chikuma's system.
• Mitsui Fudosan Hotel Management (株式会社三井不動産ホテルマネジメント)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2023Hotel uniform recycling partnership covering The Celestine Hotels and Mitsui Garden Hotels. ~10,000 uniforms recycled into automotive interior materials; achieved 92.7% CO2 reduction vs incineration (13,125kg CO2 saved).
• AEON Retail (イオンリテール株式会社)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023Clothing collection and recycling partnership. AEON stores (~283-290 locations) host material-sorted collection boxes for consumer clothing. Chikuma processes collected items through Chikuma No Loop system into automotive materials and new fibers. Supports Fukuiku consumer education program.
• L'Oréal Japan (日本ロレアル株式会社)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2022Industry-first upcycling partnership converting beauty advisor uniforms (6 brands: Lancôme, Yves Saint Laurent Beauté, Helena Rubinstein, Kiehl's, Shu Uemura, Giorgio Armani) into automotive parts. First year processed ~2.2 tons; won L'Oréal Partner Forum 2022 Best Partner Award (Sustainability).
• Makita (株式会社マキタ)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2014Fan and battery supply partnership for electric fan wear products. Makita provides high-quality, safe batteries used in Chikuma-no Smaph series, enabling mobile charging function (5 smartphone charges per full battery).
• Teijin Frontier (帝人フロンティア株式会社)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2008Material supply partnership for electric fan wear products. Teijin provides functional materials and holds patent on two-layer internal pressure structure technology used in Chikuma-no Smaph products.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights9 records

Direct peers

• Aoyama Trading Co., Ltd. Largest Japanese business uniform and suit specialist (青山商事), with deep corporate uniform contracts and a complementary recycling/trade-in program (Washington). Directly competes with Chikuma in the B2B corporate uniform segment with similar one-stop service orientation.
• Seiren Co., Ltd. Major Japanese textile manufacturer specializing in functional fabrics, automotive interior materials, and uniform manufacturing. Comparable to Chikuma in fabric technology development, automotive interior upcycling, and integrated textile-to-product operations.
• Workman Co., Ltd. Japanese workwear and functional apparel retailer focused on industrial workers and trades. Comparable to Chikuma's workwear/uniform and heat-management product lines targeting the same Japanese industrial worker customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Toyobo Co., Ltd. Diversified Japanese textile and material science company with functional fabric and uniform adjacencies. Comparable as a Japanese textile/fabric technology incumbent supplying into similar industrial and apparel end markets.
• Gunze Limited: Japanese textile manufacturer producing functional fabrics, apparel, and plastic films. Comparable to Chikuma in functional material development and Japanese B2B apparel supply chains, particularly for industrial and specialty wear applications.
• Onward Holdings Co., Ltd. Major Japanese apparel conglomerate owning multiple fashion brands (Burberry Japan, Jil Sander, etc.) with uniform/ready-made wear exposure. Comparable as a Japanese apparel platform competing in catalog and corporate channels with significantly larger scale.
• TSI Holdings Co., Ltd. Japanese apparel conglomerate operating multiple women's business wear and uniform brands (e.g., Tokyo Soir, Nana Micheline). Comparable as a multi-brand Japanese apparel group overlapping with Chikuma's ALPHA PIER and ready-made uniform lines.

Emerging players

• Descente Ltd. Japanese sportswear and performance apparel manufacturer with strength in functional and heat-management clothing. Comparable to Chikuma's Chikuma-no Smafa line in thermal/functional wear development for industrial and sports use cases.

Others

• Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd. (functional materials arm): Japanese materials conglomerate with functional textile and recycling technology adjacencies. Comparable as a Japan-based ecosystem partner in materials and circular economy solutions relevant to Chikuma's recycling/upcycling platform.
• Sakurai Seisakusho Co., Ltd. Japanese manufacturer of portable dry ice production equipment, Chikuma's technology partner for the Sub-zero Best cooling vest. Comparable as a collaborator in heat-management wearable technology with overlapping go-to-market in Japanese heat-exposure industries.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCMqtEoVLAXTzIkA4PgLmlUQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/%E6%A0%AA%E5%BC%8F%E4%BC%9A%E7%A4%BE%E3%83%81%E3%82%AF%E3%83%9E-%E3%83%A6%E3%83%8B%E3%83%95%E3%82%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A0%E4%BA%8B%E6%A5%AD%E9%83%A8-109141531390957
• Instagraminstagram.com/alpha_pier

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Chikuma