MAARU FACTORY

islandworks Inc., the company behind MAARU FACTORY, was founded in 2018 in Okinawa. The company develops several projects including the slow fashion brand "Kizuna," which collaborates with Okinawan crafts and art, and "Tsunagu," a content design business that focuses on local culture and industries. MAARU FACTORY was launched as the in-house sewing hub that brings these ideas into production.

The team wants to change the reality that the value of sewing work is often undervalued and invisible in modern supply chains. By emphasizing co-creation, coexistence and empowerment, MAARU FACTORY aims to create a structure in which people can proudly build independent careers through sewing.

At the factory, ODM/OEM services and brand launch support are combined with sewing education: workshops, beginner courses and hands-on training programs. Through experience programs and visits to the factory, visitors can see and feel the production process, and gain a deeper understanding of how local resources, people and stories come together to create garments.

A community-based sewing factory that values the "background" of making

In a world overflowing with products and information, the process and people behind making clothes are often overlooked. MAARU FACTORY was founded to shine a light on the resources, skills and time that go into each garment, and to share the story behind production together with the finished products.

End-to-end ODM/OEM and brand launch support

From design planning and pattern making to sample sewing and small-lot production, MAARU FACTORY provides one-stop support for ODM/OEM projects. The team also helps new brands and companies entering the apparel field with concept making, story building and product planning rooted in Okinawa.

Sewing schools and training that connect learning with real work

Through sewing workshops, beginner classes and practical training programs, MAARU FACTORY offers opportunities for people who want to learn sewing as a skill for work. Some programs are run as part of grant-based projects that support single mothers and others in building sustainable careers through sewing.

Matching sewists and corporate clients

MAARU FACTORY also operates a matching service that connects sewists seeking stable work with companies looking for reliable production partners. The factory helps coordinate specifications, schedules and quality control so that sewists can focus on their craft while clients gain a stable production base.