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 values for jeans.
What kind of young employees are working in the field that produces Japan's proud domestically produced jeans?
We interviewed Kawamura Hanon, a young employee working at Betty Smith.
The information provided is from an article published in August 2026. Please note that it may differ from current information.
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.
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" and is dedicated to producing high-quality jeans.
Betty Smith is a company that continues to create new values for domestically produced jeans.
Kawamura at Betty Smith
The interviewee was Kawamura Hanon, who serves as the sewing leader at Betty Smith's factory. Born in 2003, she is from Okayama City.
Kawamura has expressed her desire to work in the clothing industry since high school. Although there were paths in customer service and sales, she 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 factory's sewing department.
She 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, while collaborating with many people within the company to engage in manufacturing.
Kawamura became the sewing leader about a year and a half after joining the company. Despite being young, she is committed to providing guidance tailored to each craftsman and is a key support for 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 look easy, but to master accuracy and speed, one must complete a considerable number of tasks.
Additionally, during busy periods when tourist numbers increase, she sometimes assists in customer service at the shop "Betty's Store" located on the premises or takes on staff roles for 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. She 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 her days dedicated to manufacturing.
After graduating high school, she intended to find a job immediately, but struggled to find job openings in apparel sales and customer service that she desired. When she began to consider being a part-timer, a career guidance teacher advised her, "If you love clothes, how about working on the production side?" which became a significant turning point.
Later, while searching for job openings, Kawamura remembered that her mother had some accessories from Betty Smith and began to research the company.
As she learned more about Betty Smith through her visits, she 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 she had admired became a major deciding factor for her to join the company.
What is the appeal of Betty Smith as a workplace from Kawamura's perspective?
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 each other".
At the workplace, there are many calm and kind people, and relationships are built that make it easy to consult with others, even from different departments. For example, senior employees with over ten years of experience reportedly listen attentively and cooperate without showing any displeasure towards the instructions of Mr. Kawamura, a young leader.
Additionally, conducting everything from planning to manufacturing and sales on the same premises contributes to a comfortable working environment. When something arises, it is possible to directly confirm with the planning staff or pattern makers immediately, creating an environment that facilitates smooth collaboration while preventing mistakes.
Moreover, the ability to work multifacetedly across different roles is also a significant attraction, as shared by Mr. Kawamura. For him, who originally aspired to work in customer service, being involved not only in sewing tasks but also in customer service at shops and experience classes provides a great sense of fulfillment.
Mr. Kawamura, who joined Betty Smith, is entering his fourth year in 2026. He shared with us the fulfillment of being a leader on the ground 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 jeans casual wear |
| 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 |
