One of our oldest partners
„…AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT!“, says Mr. Tomonari, Director of the company TAMATOSHI from Japan. TAMATOSHI will celebrate its 110th anniversary in 2024 – and MAWA is part of this as one of the oldest partners.
How long have you been partnering with MAWA hangers?
According to the records that remain in our company, we had already started selling MAWA hangers in 1990. Therefore, we have been in contact with MAWA for 33 years. TAMATOSHI will celebrate its 110th anniversary in 2024. There are many partner companies all over the world, but MAWA is one of the oldest and most important partners. I believe that the reason why our business has remained uninterrupted for such a long time is not only because MAWA is a great product, but also because the two companies are very close in their approach to business.
What initially attracted you to MAWA Hangers as a partner?
My first encounter with MAWA was at Euroshop in 1984. I chose MAWA because of its "no-slip" function. At that time, the main function required for hangers in Japan was to "hang" clothes, and MAWA offered a function of "no-slip," which was one step ahead of that, and I had a intuition at the moment I met MAWA that the timing would come when such a function would be required in Japan. I also felt that I wanted to use MAWA myself.
Could you please describe your partnership activities with MAWA Hangers over the years?
TAMATOSHI's main business is to propose display fixtures and display supplies to major retailers. In addition to the catalogs mentioned above, TAMATOSHI has also been engaged in the following activities:
- Setting up a MAWA hanger corner in its own showroom and introducing it to major corporate clients who visit the showroom.
- Development and sales of third-party parts for MAWA Hangers approved for MAWA Reccomended labeling
- Development and sales of a new color Latte, a hanger that suits EarthColor, which continues to be popular in the Japanese fashion scene, in collaboration with MAWA.
- For the past 7 years, we developed many new hangers together with different colours.
What sets MAWA Hangers apart from other hanger manufacturers or suppliers?
We believe that the difference is more in the company's philosophy of values than in the product itself.
Specifically, there are the following two points.
1. The company highly values its products.
2. By continually improving the products and making them fit the times, many consumers have been using them for many years.
In Japan, products tend to have a short life span. However, as TAMATOSHI celebrates its 110th anniversary, we believe and focus on these values as very important to sustain the company.
In your opinion, what are the key strengths of MAWA Hangers as a brand?
We believe that MAWA's greatest strength is that the market has a good perception of MAWA hangers, which is made possible by MAWA's long track record.
TAMATOSHI is also celebrating its 110th anniversary this year. When we visit a company for the first time, we often find that they have a good feeling about TAMATOSHI, and we are able to promptly proceed with detailed business negotiations because they trust us. I am sure that the members of MAWA, with its 75-year history, realize how blessed this is for business.
What is your favorite type of MAWA hanger and why?
40P. This is because it is the hanger that best embodies the phrase "Simple is Best.” It has the ultimate simple shape, yet it has the function of not slipping. It is wonderful!
Have you visited Germany as part of your partnership with MAWA Hangers? If yes, could you share your favorite memory or experience from your visit?
Unfortunately, we have not yet visited Germany as part of the partnership. We hope to visit in the near future now that the threat of covid-19 infection has been reduced.
Is there a particular German dish or food item that you enjoy or consider your favorite?
German beer! (Is beer a drink, not food?) Once when I was in Germany on an other assignment, I drank a lot of local German beer. I was overwhelmed by the wide variety of beers, but I was surprised that I could find beer tasty, even though I do not like Japanese beer.
Have you had the opportunity to meet the MAWA Hangers team in person? If yes, what was your impression?
I had the opportunity to meet MAWA members several times during web meetings and visits to Japan. Everyone was extremely professional, and I sensed a willingness to protect and develop MAWA's brand value.
Also, the members we discussed with were all women, and as a TAMATOSHI manager, I learned a lot from the fact that women are very active in the company.
Thank you for your MAWA story!