HISTORY

history of kurabo

history of denim

1800's1800's

1800's

1870

Workpants made of canvas with copper rivet-reinforced
pockets became popular in the mining industry.

1873

Levi Strauss & Co. patented their rivet-reinforced pockets
and began selling products that are considered the precursor to jeans.

1878

Synthetic indigo was announced.

1888

Founded as a spinning company in Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan.
(The company’s name is a portmanteau of “Kura”
from Kurashiki and “bo,” which means
“spinning” in Japanese.)

1800's

1895

Began exporting cotton yarn
under the “Mitsuuma” brand.

1800's

1900's1900's

1922

Built the Okayama Kitakata Plant that would later
produce the cotton yarn used to make denim.
(It was renamed the Okayama Plant in 1930.)

1928

Sanforization was developed.

1900's

1930

Opened the Ohara Museum of Art as the first
privately operated museum in Japan that focused on western art.
(Spearheaded by 2nd generation president Magosaburo Ohara.)

1947

Manufacturers adopted the term “jeans” for the first time.

1954

Prewashed jeans were announced.

1955

New York Representative Office in order to
carry out the marketing of the United States

1900's

1957

Opened the first production plant outside Japan, in Brazil.

1968

Opened a production plant in Thailand.

1970

Got into the denim business.

1973

Introduced spinning equipment at
the Okayama Plant to make raw yarn for denim.
Began selling “KD-8” as the first-ever denim made in Japan.

1974

Opened a production plant in Indonesia.
Closed the original headquarters plant in Kurashiki
and converted the building into the Kurashiki Ivy Square hotel.

1982

Worn jeans were announced.

1985

Developed and launched the world’s first “uneven yarn.”

1986

Chemical-washed jeans were announced in Japan.

1987

Opened an office in Hong Kong to oversee international sales.
Announced “KD855” as a worn-looking
denim made with hand-spun uneven yarn.

1988

Bio-washed jeans were announced in Japan.

1990

Vintage jeans became the craze.

1995

Established a subsidiary in Thailand to make raw yarn for denim.
Established technology for controlling
the “unevenness” of yarn with a computer,
and developed and launched Vintage denim.

1900's

1996

Opened the Tokushima Plant as a state-of-the-art
dyeing plant in Tokushima, Japan.

2000's2000's

2000's

2000

Worn jeans were announced in Japan.

2003

Skinny jeans became a hit.

2013

Established a subsidiary in China
to make and sell denim.

2000's

2000's

2015

Announced “Kurabo Denim Prime Blue”
as a new brand of Kurabo Denim.