Vol.7

Recommendations as a senior staff member for a more dream-inspiring workplace

Mr. Matsumoto, a weaver in his 50s, has been with the company for seven years and is now in the latter half of his career. He is a very cheerful and sociable mood-maker among weavers. He talked to us in the full interview time about what IKEUCHI ORGANIC needs in the future, including specific ideas, his theory on fostering young human resources, and his favorite towels.

Matsumoto, Weaving

Aiming to be a by-player in the machine shop

–What kind of work have you done at IKEUCHI so far?

At first, I was in charge of unraveling ( kaitan*1) and inspecting fabrics. Then, about three years ago, I started working in weaving. I’ve been working there for about four years, and I’m fine, and I’ve been working here for three years, so I’m still a little inexperienced, but I can see various aspects of both jobs as they are connected.

Utilizing the Strengths of Operating a Directly Managed Shop for Training

–As a mid-level craftsman, do you have any thoughts on training younger workers?

With our current company, we can go to a directly-managed store in Tokyo or Fukuoka for about two days of training as a sales support. We could explain the towels directly to the customers and explain how to fix the damaged towels with an iPad or something. We can put pictures in and make a database. You could explain, “This is what we do, first a thread goes through here, and here is the product we are weaving now…” If there are scratches on the fabric during the weaving process, they are not turned into products and are displayed at a local event called the Imabari Towel Fair ( *2) as special products. We offer products to customers in our stores and online store that are not damaged or defective. We can say, “If you like, please come to Imabari during the towel fair.

What a waste of a towel sommelier (laughs).

Since all of our employees have been certified as towel sommeliers ( *3), I have been thinking for a long time that it would be a good idea to have training sessions for craftspeople to stand in the stores when the stores are built. We have professionals on the sales floor, but I thought it would be good for the people behind the scenes to step forward once in a while. It would be a direct connection between the creator and the buyer. I had experienced this in my career.

In Ehime, Mitsukoshi and Takashimaya are high-level local retailers. In Tokyo, ordinary retailers are high level. I think it would be a good motivation for them to see such things. I think it is also the job of elders to show them a world they do not know. I was also pulled along by my seniors.

–I think it will simply motivate them. If you go to a beautiful store in Omotesando, your motivation to create will also change.

There may be a fear of being in the city, but if you talk to them, they are Japanese (and you can understand their language). Young people are usually quiet, but they should think about having a little courage (in customer service). Otherwise, it would be a waste of a towel sommelier (laughs). I studied hard for about a month to get the certification, and it is surprisingly difficult.

My favorite towel is the Organic 120.

–Why did you choose your favorite towel, the Organic 120?

The Standard! Starting with this as the standard, starting from now on, 120 is The Towel. I also like the popular ivory color.

–Can you confidently recommend IKEUCHI towels to others?

If you use them, they are well thought out and the products are good, even compared to other towels. It is also good that they are not bound by the Imabari mark ( *4). It is good that we can produce various things in a radial way without being bound by that.

To realize the IKEUCHI vision

–Lastly, please give us a few words about the future of IKEUCHI ORGANIC.

To make young craftsmen think about 5 to 10 years from now, senior workers will provide them with a good education, because that will create the future of the company. If the president wants to continue (the company) for 70 or 80 years, he should pass it on and change generations. 25 year olds now have a vision of what it will be like 5 or 10 years from now, and when they reach 30 or 35 years old, I want an environment where they can actually see it. In order to make that happen, I think we need to raise the sensitivity of those kids and the power of young technicians.

If someone who is 50 says that is his vision for 5 years from now, I have to think about his old age (laughs).

Interview January 2016
Interview and text by Mutaguchi, Kamio
Photographer/ Yuji Kimura (Kimura Photo Office)

■Terminology
*1: The process of unwinding woven fabric, inspecting the fabric, and weighing the fabric for dyeing.
*2: Towel sales event held twice a year in Imabari by the Shikoku Towel Manufacturers Association, where member companies open stalls.
3: A certification test conducted by the Imabari Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Shikoku Towel Manufacturers Association. It tests knowledge of towel history, manufacturing techniques, quality of raw materials, and differences in texture of woven towels.
4：Almost all IKEUCHI ORGANIC towels are also certified as Imabari towels, but the Imabari towel certification tag is not attached to the products because they are not made of organic materials.