Our mind

Make the products putting ourselves in user’s place

1.Value the customer / 2.Value the person (staff) / 3.③ Make the factory contribute to the society

Greetings from the president

IKUO YAMASHITA

The clothes have the functional factors, such as the warmth and comfortability. On the other hand, they are also the way to express the individuality of each person.

It is our mission to keep providing the new fabric to the market which has both functionality and fashionability. This is based on the idea of “make the products putting ourselves in other people’s place all the time”.

Therefore in our factory, the technician that were grew up by our history and tradition, added the ideas to both old and new knitting machines, and we are challenging to develop the fabric that no one has ever made.

Our notion is “Try hard even though we know it is impossible”. We keep challenging even if it seems to be technically impossible, and keep creating the new fabric that is not existed in the world yet. This pursuit is our endless goal.

山下郁夫

Wakayama and Knit

In 1909, people peddling from Wakayama-shi (Wakayama factory location) set up the circular knitting machine here, as they found the future prospects in the knit among the industry of each place. The knit is called “meriyasu” at that time. This was the start.

At the end of the Taisho era, Wakayama became a No.1 place for knit production in Japan, as railway was built, and connected with the spinning factory as well as the dyeing factory in Osaka. Today, Wakayama is still No.1 place for circular knit fabric production in Japan, and its share is about 40%.
It is said that the origin of the “meriyasu” came from the “meias” in Portuguese or “medias” in Spanish, which means “socks”. Chinese character ”莫大小(No big or small) ” was used, as they can expand and shrink freely, also they can be used both bigger or smaller size.

Around 1955,the word of “Knit(ニット)” which means “Knitting” in English started to use, and “Knit” is commonly used now.

Wakayama and Knit01

Wakayama and Knit02

Wakayama and Knit03

Wakayama and Knit04

Scenery with YAMAYO TEXTILE

Wakayama has been attracted the people as one of the Japanese oldest sightseeing places with magnificent natural landscape, heal space such as hot-spring, and rich foods.

The history is old, and it is written in the Nihon-shoki that the Emperor at that time had bath at Muro hot spring (Shirahama hot spring), and in the Insei period, the imperial family and nobility visited the Kumano Shrine diligently seeking for the resurrection and revival of the soul. In 2004, this area was registered with the world heritage as a “sacred place and pilgrimage route of Kii Mountains”.

After the middle Ages, many people were coming for the tour of the holy places, such as Kumano, Mt. Koya, and the Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage (Kokawa-dera temple/ Kimii-dera temple/ Seiganto-ji temple).

Here in Wakayama, which has been welcoming many people from the ancient times, the climate that open and cherish the connections with people, has been fostered.

On the other hand, the geographical features which open to the Pacific Ocean, fostered the progressive spirit that always pay attention to a new thing.

YAMAYO TEXTILE has been made here as a “secret base” for the human resource development and product development.

Shirarahama Beach

Engetsu Islet

Daimonzaka,Kumano Kodo Street

Wakayama Castle

Kimiidera Temple