cofucu

Kobayashi Meriyasu Co., Ltd. is a knit specialty maker founded in 1949 in Minami-Alps City, Yamanashi Prefecture. In the era of material shortages just after the war — knitting sweaters for neighborhood children using surplus yarn from the family silk-reeling business — that's said to be the start. Since then, for over 70 years — continuing knit-making specialized for baby and children's clothing.

At the in-house factory — established a system performing integrated work from knitting to sewing, finishing, and inspection. By continuing to face the strict quality standards unique to baby and children's clothing — growing into an existence receiving OEM requests from many makers and department stores: "For baby clothes, go to Kobayashi Meriyasu." The long-accumulated archive is itself the history of Japanese baby clothing.

In 2014, that know-how and passion crystallized as an in-house brand — the organic cotton children's clothing brand "cofucu." The trigger was an in-hospital wear order from a local obstetric clinic. While leveraging voices of obstetricians and nurses — expanding the lineup as items comfortable for babies and easy to use for families and medical sites.

Currently, cofucu — in addition to the online store — is developed at diverse places: department stores (Hankyu Department Store, Takashimaya, Mitsukoshi Isetan, etc.), select shops, obstetric hospitals, and the directly-managed store inside the regional facility "fumotto." While evolving factory operations themselves in a sustainable direction — switching to environmentally-considerate power and utilizing renewable energy — continuing clothing-making for children bearing the future.

Gentle Japanese children's clothing born from obstetrician voices

cofucu is a brand born from the request from a local obstetric clinic: "Please make in-hospital wear for babies." While reflecting voices of obstetricians and nurses, repeating prototyping and improvement of wearing comfort and ease of use — cherishing simple and reassuring designs suitable as the first piece a baby slips into.

Organic cotton x GOTS certification x Japanese children's clothing standards

For raw materials, centered on organic cotton with GOTS — the global standard for organic textiles. Further, establishing a production system standard-compliant with Japan's strict "children's clothing standards" — including formalin content and accessory safety. Including material traceability and consideration for the factory environment — engaging in manufacturing gentle to babies and the environment.

Integrated production from knitting to sewing at Yamanashi Minami-Alps in-house factory

At the in-house factory in Minami-Alps City, Yamanashi Prefecture — Japanese staff handle integrated work from knitting to sewing and finishing. For the washing process, using Minami-Alps subsurface water — finishing with a fluffy texture unique to weakly soft water. While the domestic ratio of textile products is said to be very small — a rare knit factory committed to "Japan-made."

Special gifts with name-engraving embroidery and original wrapping

At cofucu, options to add name-engraving embroidery to baby clothes and afghans, plus original wrapping with box+ribbon or box+noshi, are prepared. For birth celebrations and birth anniversaries — can be given as one-of-a-kind gifts. Features choose-able by gift set and price — making gift selection easy to fit the recipient and scene.