Wrapped in a light, soft texture, Uchino promises a blissful bath time

“The moment you touch them, you feel your stresses melt away”. For more than half a century, Uchino has been making towels with this ethos. Positioning the bathroom as a relaxing and healing space, it has grown into a lifestyle brand that offers not only towels but also bathrobes and bath accessories for a total bathing experience. This approach was clearly defined in 2003, when Uchino renewed their corporate identity (CI), spurred by their desire for customers to spend their daily relaxation time, from bath time to sleep, as physically and mentally comfortable as possible.

“We strive to create products that are light, soft, and gentle on the skin, giving our customers a sense of comfort and security.” says Miho Yamamoto, Uchino’s public relations manager . The product that symbolizes Uchino’s concept is the “Blissful Towel” which took about two years to develop. The towels are so soft and fluffy that you can’t help but want to stroke them, an effect achieved by using ultra-fine yarn for the pile, about 1/5 the thickness of ordinary towels, woven with Uchino’s unique technology. “We heard from one customer that her baby stopped crying after being wrapped in the towel. It made us happy to think that the moment they touched it, they instinctively felt safe and calm.” says Yamamoto.

Marshmallow Gauze Pajamas, bestsellers since its launch in 2014, are one of Uchino’s signature products, prized for their blissful sleep-inducing comfort. The secret behind their surprisingly light weight and comfort is the innovative, patented gauze fabric, which is made by combining thin, soft, low-twist yarns with strong yarns and weaving them into a triple layer. In addition to their lightness and softness, they also feature high water absorbency and breathability, and are well received for their ability to stay dry even after night sweats. The 100% cotton marshmallow gauze pajamas, which maintain a comfortable clothing environment and minimize skin irritation, are also recommended by the Japan Atopic Disease Association.

In recent years, Uchino has been actively expanding overseas, including sales at Harrods, a luxury department store in London, and the opening of a store in Singapore. “Overseas, thick and heavy towels are the norm, so at first customers are often surprised by how light and soft they are. However, once they actually use them, many of them become fans. We would like to continue to expand our sales channels and show people across many countries the relaxation that comfortable towels can provide.”