110 Years of Business and the Wisdom of Kyoto's Division of Labor

Could you tell us about the history of Bamba Dyeing Factory from its founding to the present day?

We were founded in 1913, during the Taisho era. My great-grandfather, who came to Kyoto from a farming family in Shiga as an apprentice, started the business. At the time, Kyoto's industry was centered on kimono dyeing, and it was a city built on a division of labor. The people who made the fabric, carved the stencils, steamed the cloth, washed it, and finished it—they were all specialists in their own fields.

Within that system, our factory specialized in a field called 'kata-yuzen,' handling the dyeing of silk and crepe silk (chirimen).

We still operate under this division of labor system, where dyeing, steaming, washing, and finishing are done in separate factories. In today's era of small-lot, high-variety production, this system actually gives us the advantage of being more flexible.

Kyoto's division of labor might seem inefficient at first glance, but it clearly has strengths that have allowed it to endure for so long.

That's right. A large factory with an integrated production line can't operate without large-lot orders, but our system allows for greater agility. These days, jobs that require dyeing thousands of the same pattern have decreased, and the mainstream is now orders in the hundreds, like for department store or brand-exclusive items. I believe this network of craftsmen, connected by trust, is the very foundation of Kyoto's dyeing culture.

From Western Apparel to Furoshiki: The Turning Point that Birthed an Original Brand

What was the biggest turning point in the factory's long history?

The biggest was when the work for Western clothing disappeared. We used to dye fabrics for designer brands, but the spread of inkjet printing caused demand to plummet.

At that moment, I felt, 'The factory won't survive if we keep going like this,' so we shifted our focus to producing and selling Japanese accessories—especially furoshiki—ourselves. Instead of just going through wholesalers, we started getting our own designs carried in department stores.

And that led to your current original brand, mashu kyoto.

Initially, I went back to the wholesalers we had worked with for many years to discuss our future plans. I told them, 'From now on, we want to shift away from clothing and focus on developing new products centered around furoshiki.' Thankfully, our long-time partners accepted the challenge, and we were able to explore new sales channels together.

Today, our products are used in many ways, from corporate novelty items and collaboration products to souvenirs at tourist destinations. Our designs, which feature modern interpretations of animal motifs and seasonal patterns, have become quite popular. Once, after being featured on TV, a single 3,000-yen furoshiki generated over 4 million yen in sales in just one month.

Going Global: The Idea of "Monetizing the Factory"

You've also been expanding overseas in recent years with exports and workshops, right?

Yes. We opened up our factory in Kyoto as a store with an attached workshop. We let tourists and international visitors experience katazome (stencil dyeing) for themselves. The factory itself becomes a product. This was a massive shift for us.

Previously, we were doing OEM work, dyeing for other companies behind the scenes. But now, people come specifically for "Bamba Dyeing Factory." By sharing our factory's story through social media and the press, we've been building a foundation of trust.

You're also focusing on exports. Could you tell us about those initiatives?

With support from JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization), we started exporting to the French market. However, for a company our size, directly exporting 5 million yen worth of products every month isn't realistic. So, we've adopted an "indirect export" model by partnering with overseas distributors and select shops.

We wholesale to retailers in France and Switzerland, leveraging their local sales networks. Just recently, we received a direct order from a Swiss company, and the payment was deposited into our regional bank account the very same day. The world's financial infrastructure has evolved so much that even a small factory like ours can now do business globally.

For the Next Generation: Toward a "Technique Anyone Can Learn"

What are your thoughts on passing down traditional techniques?

Dyeing is an intuitive craft, but we've created a "system that anyone can learn." We have standardized recipes for mixing dyes and process sheets for each stencil, allowing someone to learn the basics in just a few months.

In a world where you're told, "you can't master this without 10 years of training," the next generation won't stick around. That's why we want to open our doors through hands-on experiences and education. My sons are currently on their own paths, but if they ever decide to come back, I want to have an environment ready where anyone can work.

It seems you're less focused on "preserving a traditional industry" and more on "making it a viable business."

Exactly. Once a traditional craft becomes a "hobby," it's over as an industry. Our mission is to continue as a company that generates employment and profit.

That's why we've diversified our factory's revenue streams—including real estate, a shop, and workshops—to spread out the risk. If you create a system that can be profitable even with a small team, I believe tradition will naturally carry on.

Founded in 1913, Bamba Dyeing Factory continues to add new layers of color over 110 years later.

While preserving the age-old technique of hand-dyeing, they are relentlessly taking on new challenges like brand design, global expansion, and factory development. Behind it all is the clear conviction that "to keep tradition alive, it must be sustainable as a business."

"Creating a system to keep it going is more important than the dyeing technique itself."

Inside the 100-year-old wooden factory, new colors are being printed today. This handcraft, rooted in the town of Kyoto, is poised to continue for the next 100 years—a true living tradition.