Cotton grown in the terraced rice paddies of Kurumegi is now available for the first time as a product of the Enshu Orimono x Kurumegi Rice Terraces Project. Cotton grown in the terraced rice paddies of Kurumegi is now available as a product for the first time! A total of nine types of shirts, blouses, and skirts will be available from March 6!

HUIS Co., Ltd. will begin selling a total of nine types of shirts, blouses, and skirts, the first Enshu textile products to be made from cotton grown and harvested in the Kurumegi terraced rice fields in 2023, from March 6, 2025 (Thursday) through its online store, showrooms nationwide, and at department store events.

This "locally produced" project is rare in Japan in that it is an integrated process from the production of final products to nationwide sales, in collaboration with the traditional local textile industry, while preserving the landscape and multifaceted function of "terraced rice fields," one of Japan's most prominent regional resources.

Nine final products of the Enshu Orimono x Kurumegi no Tanada Project

Sowing cotton seeds in the spring of 2023 (Kurumegi terraced rice fields)

Harvesting cotton in the fall of 2023 (Kurumegi terraced rice fields)

Event site

March 6 (Thu) - 9 (Sun) [Nihonbashi] COREDO Muromachi 3, 3F "HUIS POPUP Event

March 7 (Fri.)-9 (Sun.) [Hamamatsu] Marutakedo Coffee "HUIS POPUP Event

March 8 (Sat.) - 10 (Mon.) [Osaka] Shuka "HUIS POPUP Event

After March 12, the products will also be available at "Takasaki Suzuran Department Store," "Hiroshima Fukuya," "Shizuoka Corridor Fuji," etc., if stock is still available.

HUIS showrooms (all from Thursday, March 6)

Shibuya store: 9F garage, Shibuya Scramble Square, 2-24-12 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Marunouchi Store Inside garage, Marunouchi Building 4F, 2-4-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Yokohama store Inside 3F noni Yokohama Bay Quarter, 1-10 Kinko-cho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa

Tachikawa store Inside GREEN SPRINGS E2-208 Rust, 3-1 Midori-cho, Tachikawa-shi, Tokyo

Nagoya store Inside Global Gate 3F garage, 4-60-12 Hiraike-cho, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi

Toyohashi store Inside garage, 17 Minamimatsubara, Akebono-cho, Toyohashi-shi, Aichi

Project Overview

HUIS Co., Ltd. and Kurumegi Area Promotion Council have launched the "Enshu Textile x Kurumegi Terraced Rice Field Project" in the spring of 2023, aiming to make use of devastated farmland, promote the local natural resources and traditional industries, and produce final products using Enshu textiles including cotton from the terraced rice fields. The project started in the spring of 2023. Cotton cultivation using fallow rice paddies began with the rehabilitation of abandoned fields, and has included seeding and harvesting experience events.

The harvested cotton was turned into Enshu woven fabrics containing about 15% of cotton harvested in 2023, with the cooperation of many businesses in seeding, spinning, weaving, sewing, and other processes over a period of about two years.

In particular, we asked Dandan, a support center for people with disabilities, to take care of "cotton ginning (seed picking)" during the commercialization process, realizing a new collaboration of "agriculture x welfare x textile industry".

In addition, we collaborated with local textile companies such as Sugimura Seihei (sutra preparation), Wada Sizing (gluing), Marumasu Warp Preparation (warp preparation), and Kaneta Orimono (fabric planning and weaving), and clearly indicated the supply chain on the product price tag to arouse interest in the "process to become fabric" and the people responsible for it, which had previously been unknown to general consumers. The supply chain is clearly indicated on the product price tag. A video of these processes can be viewed by clicking on the 2D code on the price tag.

In recent years, the apparel industry has become increasingly interested in domestic production of raw materials, and "cotton cultivation projects" have been launched in various regions. This "locally produced" project is rare in Japan, where the final product is manufactured and sold throughout the country while preserving the landscape and multifaceted function of "terraced rice paddies," one of Japan's most prominent regional resources.

＜The price tag on the product lists the businesses involved in the process. The paper is made from recycled paper produced from Enshu textile scraps with the cooperation of the Fuji Industrial Technology Support Center. > Product price tag (Serial No.)

Product price tag (with serial number and process video 2D code)

＜The two-dimensional code allows the viewer to see a video of the work of the businesses involved in the process. >

Gluing process (part of the release video)

He threading (part of the release video)

Weaving (Part of the release video)

Dyeing factory (part of the release video)

Outline of the release of the 2023 Terraced Rice Field Series products of the Kurumegi Terraced Rice Field x Enshu Textile Project

Schedule ：Sales will begin on March 6, 2025 (Thursday)

Product ：Shirts, blouses, skirts (9 items in total, approx. 140 pieces)

　　　　　All products will have serial numbers.

∙ Ingredients: 15% Kurumegi terraced rice fields harvested in 2023,

　　　　　85% organic cotton from the U.S.

Sales: HUIS online store, 6 HUIS showrooms,

　　　　　HUIS online store, 6 HUIS showrooms, department stores nationwide, and other event venues

Kurumegi Tanada Cotton Products_Image 1

Kurumegi Tanada Cotton Products_Image 2

Kurumegi terraced cotton products_Image 3

Businesses and organizations cooperating in the project

Cotton cultivation and harvesting: Kurumegi Community Development Council, Ryugu-ko no Kai,

　　　　　　　　Shizuoka University of Art and Culture, Hikisa Cultivation Team

Cotton ginning: Dandan Center for Supporting Work and Daily Life of People with Disabilities (Hamamatsu City)

Spinning: Taishoboseki Co.

Keisei: Sugimura Keisei (Hamamatsu City)

Glueing: Wada Sizing [Hamamatsu City, Japan

Warp threading ：Malmouth Warp Preparation【Hamamatsu City

Fabric planning and weaving ：Kaneta Orimono Co.

Bleaching & Dyeing ：Ochou [Shiga pref.

Product planning ：Winthrop [Tokyo, Japan

Cutting and sewing ：Lime Corporation 【Fukushima Pref,

　　　　　　　　Tosejima Garment Co,

　　　　　　　　Y's Fashion Ltd.

Inspection and pressing: Sunlogy Co.

Project Background

In the "Kurumegi terraced rice paddies" where fallow and abandoned rice paddies are being cultivated, the "Kurumegi Area Promotion Council" was established to seek collaboration with local companies to promote the utilization of the fields and conservation of the terraced rice paddies. The textile industry had developed in the Enshu area since cotton cultivation had flourished in the past, and the project was launched in collaboration with HUIS, a local apparel company that deals with Enshu textiles, based on a shared philosophy of revitalizing local industry and preserving the environment.

■Kurumegi Terraced Rice Paddies

Recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries as a "Linking Rice Terraces Heritage Site," a "Hamamatsu Certified Cultural Property," and a "Fujinokuni Beautiful and Dignified Oup" and awarded the Shizuoka Prefecture Landscape Award, these terraced rice fields are representative of Shizuoka Prefecture's rural landscape.

While there is a shortage of rice terraces and an increase in the amount of devastated farmland in various regions, the prefecture is actively working to create a "related population" and cultivate outside farmers through unique initiatives such as terraced rice field schools and hands-on events, and is attracting attention from research institutes and related organizations. The company is also attracting attention from research institutes and related organizations.

In 2026, the "Rice Terrace Summit" is scheduled to be held in Hamamatsu City, the first such event to be held in an ordinance-designated city.

Terraced paddy fields in Kurumegi

Enshu textile apparel brand "HUIS

Based in Hamamatsu City, this apparel brand makes all of its products from Enshu woven fabrics. The brand is sold at about 70 stores nationwide. Taking advantage of the Enshu production area where old-style shuttle looms still exist, the brand focuses on fabrics with special texture and functionality produced by shuttle looms, and its products are gaining fans nationwide. Unlike ordinary apparel brands, we produce products and disseminate information that appeal to the production area and industry.

The book, "HUIS.'s Clothing Production: A Brand from Enshu's Production Area Changes the Common Sense of Apparel" (Shufu To Seikatsu Sha), will be published in March 2024.

HUIS brand image photo