株式会社シーズ

What 株式会社シーズ does

株式会社シーズ (Seeds Co., Ltd.) is a privately held Japanese service company headquartered in Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture, that operates the direct-to-consumer futon and bedding cleaning brand ふわっと向日葵 (Fuwat Himawari). Under the leadership of Representative Director Masahiro Hashimoto (橋本 雅広), the company runs a single-category cleaning operation serving individual households across Japan, processing futons, blankets, pillows, sheets, futon covers, bed pads, zabuton and baby futons through a proprietary water-based wet-washing method developed over 25 years, with claimed throughput capacity of 300,000 items per year from its Nagaoka factory.

The core technology is a proprietary wet-washing system using 200–300 liters of soft water per futon and a custom detergent formulation that protects the natural oil film of cotton/wool/down wadding while removing embedded sweat, salt, sebum, mold, allergens and dust mites — a process the company states was previously considered technically impossible for futon interiors. Cleaning is followed by 90–100°C humid-heat drying certified by the Tokyo Metropolitan Health Research Institute for mite elimination, plus an optional VB (Virus Block) antiviral/antibacterial finish protected by Patent No. 5314219, developed jointly with FSX, Tokyo Institute of Technology and Keio University.

The business model is asset-light and product-led: customers order entirely through the company's website (fuwat-himawari.com), receive a shipping kit, hand off pickup to their local Sagawa Express branch, and receive cleaned bedding back within roughly 10 days under a nationwide free round-trip contract. Pricing is tiered by quantity (1 futon at 9,000 yen down to ~4,400 yen per futon at 10 units), with add-on upsells for anti-mite treatment (+400 yen), vacuum compression packaging (+400 yen) and long-term storage (up to 9 months), plus companion-item washing at 1,200–1,500 yen each. Payments are accepted via credit card, Softbank carrier billing, bank transfer and cod; marketing runs primarily on SEO-optimized educational content, customer testimonials and word-of-mouth, with no field sales force or third-party resellers.

Name

株式会社シーズ

Legal name

株式会社シーズ

Website

https://fuwat-himawari.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

株式会社シーズ operates the Fuwat Himawari brand, a direct-to-consumer futon and bedding wet-washing service serving individual Japanese households nationwide via website orders and Sagawa Express pickup/delivery, using a proprietary water-based cleaning method and patented VB antiviral finish.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bedding Cleaning Services

NAICS

Drycleaning and Laundry Services (except Coin-Operated) (812320), Drycleaning and Laundry Services (8123)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHSAJACAL

Eco-Friendly / Green Pickup & Delivery Laundry Services

Home & Personal Services/Laundry, Dry Cleaning & Garment Care/Pickup & Delivery / On-Demand Laundry Services

Keywords

• Futon cleaning services
• Bedding wet washing
• Dust mite removal
• Antiviral bedding treatment
• Vacuum compression packaging

Headquarters

HQ city

Niigata

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Futon Cleaning / Wet Washing Service: Per-unit cleaning fees for futons (single/double/queen/king) washed using the proprietary wet-washing method. Core revenue stream. Pricing is tiered by quantity (more futons = lower per-unit price). Add-on services include anti-mite treatment, vacuum compression packaging, and long-term storage.
2. Optional Add-on Services: Additional paid services including anti-mite treatment (+400 yen/futon), vacuum compression packaging (+400 yen/futon), and long-term storage. Also handles companion items: blankets (1,500 yen), pillows (1,500 yen), sheets (1,200 yen), futon covers (1,200 yen), bed pads (1,500 yen), floor cushions (1,500 yen), and baby futons (1,500 yen).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

株式会社シーズ operates the "ふわっと向日葵" (Fuwat Himawari) futon and bedding full washing service, using a proprietary water-based wet-washing system and custom detergent to deep-clean futon inner cotton. The service includes 90–100°C heat drying for sterilization and dust mite elimination, nationwide free round-trip shipping via Sagawa Express, and optional add-ons (anti-mite treatment, vacuum compression packaging, long-term storage up to 9 months, and patented VB antiviral processing). The company processes approximately 300,000 futons per year with 25 years of operational experience.

Product overview

株式会社シーズ operates a single-category service business centered on its 'ふわっと向日葵' (Fuwat Himawari) futon/bedding full washing service. The core product is the futon丸洗い (full futon washing) service using proprietary water-based cleaning technology that has been in operation for 25 years, processing 300,000 futons annually. The company differentiates through specialized cleaning methods using soft water and proprietary detergents that protect fiber oils while removing contaminants. Add-on services include 防ダニ加工 (mite-proofing treatment), 真空压缩包装 (vacuum compression packaging), and お布団長期お預かり (long-term storage). The company also recently introduced VB (Virus Block) anti-virus processing using patented technology developed with university research partners. Additional chargeable items include washing of blankets, pillows, sheets, baby futons, bed pads, and zabuton. All services are delivered via nationwide pickup/delivery through Sagawa Express.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VB（ヴイビー）: Virus Block antivirus/antimicrobial patent technology (Patent No. 5314219) developed jointly with Tokyo Institute of Technology and Keio University's joint venture and FSX for antivirus processing on futons.

Products and services

• Futon Full Washing Service (布団丸洗いサービス / ふわっと向日葵) Proprietary water-based full washing service for futons (bedding) using a custom detergent and 90–100°C heat drying for sterilization and dust mite elimination. Available for cotton, wool, feather, and synthetic futons in any size (single, double, queen, king). Pricing is tiered by quantity (1–10 futons) with all-inclusive flat rates regardless of size.
• Anti-mite Processing (防ダニ加工サービス) Repellent-based anti-dust mite treatment applied during futon cleaning. Uses repellent agents (忌避剤) rather than insecticides, making it safe for children. Effect lasts approximately one year and prevents mites from approaching. Add-on priced at +400 yen per futon.
• Vacuum Compression Packaging Service (真空圧縮包装サービス) Industrial vacuum compression of cleaned futons using specialized 0.02mm multi-layer film at -0.06MPa (5x stronger than household vacuum cleaners). Enables compact storage and protects against humidity, dust, pollen, and mold. Available only for futons cleaned at the company's facility. Add-on priced at +400 yen per futon.
• Long-term Futon Storage Service (お布団長期お預かりサービス)

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.99%+ virus and bacteria inhibition with VB treatment
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• 佐川急便 (Sagawa Express)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSagawa Express is the exclusive logistics partner for all futon pickup from customers and delivery back after cleaning. The company has a nationwide free round-trip shipping contract with Sagawa Express. Sagawa Express is presented as a key trust element on the website, indicating a long-standing operational partnership.
• FSX (VB technology co-development)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSX co-developed the VB (Virus Block) anti-virus and antibacterial technology jointly with Tokyo Institute of Technology and Keio University's joint venture. This is a technology co-development relationship for the patented VB treatment offered as part of the cleaning service.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Pony Cleaning (ポニークリーニング): Major Japanese laundry chain operating franchised retail locations. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering textile cleaning services to consumers nationwide, though via traditional drop-off rather than mail-order wet washing.
• Sani-Clean (サニクリーン): Diversified Japanese cleaning services company with rental linen/mat programs for businesses and households. Comparable in adjacent categories such as linen supply and uniform cleaning, though focused more on B2B rental than B2C wet-washing.
• White Express (ホワイト急便): Long-established Japanese laundry franchise chain with extensive nationwide store coverage. Comparable as a broad incumbent consumer-facing cleaning brand, though focused on drop-off dry cleaning rather than specialized futon wet washing.
• Hakuyosha (白洋舎): Japan's largest dry cleaning chain with nationwide retail locations and commercial laundering capabilities. Comparable as a broad incumbent in Japanese garment/bedding cleaning, though its primary mode is in-store dry cleaning rather than proprietary wet washing.

Direct peers

• Cleaning Maintenace (クリーニングメンテ / e-creaning): Japanese online-aggregator laundry service connecting customers to local cleaners with pickup/delivery. Comparable as a peer in the consumer-facing mail-order laundry category targeting the same Japanese household demographic.
• Lenet (リネット): Online laundry and dry cleaning pickup/delivery service operating nationwide in Japan. Most directly comparable to Fuwat Himawari as both offer web-ordered, doorstep-pickup textile cleaning with national coverage via logistics partnerships.
• Crocodile Cleaning (クロコダイルクリーニング): Japanese dry cleaning service offering consumer textile cleaning with nationwide pickup/delivery options. Comparable as a direct competitor in mail-order garment/bedding cleaning, though without the proprietary wet-washing futon technology.

Regional players

• Mitsuba Clean Life (みつばクリーンライフ): Regional Japanese laundry chain with multi-store operations primarily in central Japan. Comparable as a regional player in consumer textile cleaning, though without the proprietary futon wet-washing technology or nationwide service model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/%E6%A0%AA%E5%BC%8F%E4%BC%9A%E7%A4%BE%E3%82%B7%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BA

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 株式会社シーズ