Japan's first ladies' jeans specialty brand, Betty Smith.
Betty Smith Co., Ltd. not only produces textile products but also focuses on training craftsmen and promoting the appeal of domestically produced jeans, continuously creating new value in jeans.
What kind of young employees are working in the field that produces Japan's proud domestically made jeans?
We interviewed Kawamura Hanon, a young employee working at Betty Smith.
About Betty Smith Co., Ltd.
Betty Smith Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Betty Smith") is a long-established jeans manufacturer headquartered in Kojima, the birthplace of domestically produced jeans.
The predecessor of Betty Smith, Oshima Clothing Co., Ltd., was founded in 1927 and manufactured school uniforms and work clothes. After World War II, they started making jeans utilizing their sewing technology and established the company in 1962. In 1970, Japan's first ladies' jeans specialty brand, Betty Smith, was born.
Currently, they are developing unique brands such as "DENIM WORKS" for adults and "Eco Betty," which utilizes leftover denim fabric.
Betty Smith's corporate mission is to create "Japan's jeans culture."
Through the operation of the Jeans Museum, jeans-making experiences, and custom jeans, they widely promote the appeal of jeans from the perspectives of "seeing and learning" and "planning and creating."
Additionally, each craftsman aims to pass the certification system called "Textile Meister," which is a characteristic of their commitment to high-quality jeans production.
Betty Smith is a company that continues to create new value in domestically produced jeans.
Kawamura at Betty Smith
The interviewee was Kawamura Hanon, who serves as the sewing leader at the Betty Smith factory. Born in 2003, he is from Okayama City.
Kawamura has expressed his desire to work in the clothing industry since high school. Although there were paths in customer service and sales, he aimed for clothing production and joined the company in April 2022.
About Kawamura's job
Kawamura is currently active as a leader and instructor in the sewing department of the factory.
He is involved in sewing operations that involve stitching together cut fabric, monitoring the overall progress of the factory, giving instructions to each craftsman, and providing technical guidance to new employees, working diligently on production while coordinating with many people within the company.
Kawamura became the sewing leader about a year and a half after joining the company. Despite being young, he is committed to providing tailored guidance to each craftsman and is a key figure supporting the high-quality products of Betty Smith.
During the interview, I was able to observe Kawamura sewing.
Using a large industrial sewing machine, Kawamura skillfully stitches the fabric together straight and neatly. The smoothness makes it seem easy, but to master accuracy and speed, one must complete a considerable number of tasks.
Additionally, during busy periods when tourist numbers increase, he sometimes assists with customer service at the on-site shop "Betty's Store" or is responsible for staff during jeans-making experiences.
Kawamura, who originally had an interest in customer service, mentioned, "Being able to do different jobs across departments is refreshing and enjoyable."
Encounter with Betty Smith
Having always loved clothes, Kawamura was enrolled in the home economics department during high school. He obtained first-class certifications in clothing production technology for making both Japanese and Western clothing, as well as in food preparation for creating full-course meals, and spent his days dedicated to manufacturing.
After graduating from high school, he intended to find a job immediately, but he struggled to find job openings in apparel sales and customer service that he desired. When he began to consider being a part-timer, a career guidance teacher advised him, "If you love clothes, how about working on the production side?" This became a significant turning point for him.
Later, while searching for job openings, Kawamura remembered that his mother had some accessories from Betty Smith and began to research the company.
As he learned more about Betty Smith by visiting in person, he was attracted to the environment where cutting, sewing, planning, and sales are all done in-house, and the opportunity to be involved in the sales he had admired became a major deciding factor for his employment.
What does Kawamura see as the appeal of Betty Smith as a workplace?
Kawamura believes the appeal of Betty Smith lies in the fact that because it is not a large company, the distance between employees is close, making it easy to consult with one another.
He mentions that there are many calm and kind people in the workplace, and relationships are built that make it easy to consult with others, even across departments. For example, even when young leader Kawamura gives instructions, senior employees with over ten years of experience listen attentively and cooperate without any reluctance.
Additionally, the fact that planning, manufacturing, and sales are all conducted on the same premises contributes to a comfortable working environment. When something comes up, it is possible to directly check with the planning staff or pattern makers immediately, creating an environment that facilitates smooth collaboration while preventing mistakes.
Furthermore, the ability to work in a multi-faceted manner across different job roles is also a significant attraction, as shared by Mr. Kawamura. For Mr. Kawamura, who originally aspired to work in customer service, being involved not only in sewing operations but also in customer service at the shop and experience classes has provided a great sense of fulfillment.
Mr. Kawamura, who joined Betty Smith and is entering his fourth year in 2026, shared with us the fulfillment of serving as a leader on-site and the appeal of working at Betty Smith.
Data of Betty Smith Co., Ltd.
| Organization Name | Betty Smith Co., Ltd. |
|---|---|
| Industry | Planning, manufacturing, and sales of casual jeans |
| Representative Name | Oshima Yasuhiro |
| Year Established | 1962 |
| Address | 5-2-70 Shimonochō, Kojima, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact Information | Please contact us via the form https://betty.co.jp/contact2/ |
| Website | Betty Smith Website |
