Toru Itoi was born in February 1937.
After working for a textile company, he embarked on a solo journey aboard the Brazilian Maru in 1966 to study and research fabric cultures in Europe and the United States for two years. Following this, Mr. Itoi founded Itoitex and established a reputation as a high-end material brand manufacturer both domestically and internationally. He became the first Japanese company to export materials to renowned Western brands such as Hermès in France. Additionally, in 1984, his design proposal for the uniforms of the American team was adopted for the Los Angeles Olympics. Furthermore, he made history by being the first Japanese manufacturer to participate in Première Vision Paris, the world’s premier textile exhibition for fashion. It was 25 years ago when he encountered Washi cloth.

In order to utilize traditional Japanese paper fibers for a healthy lifestyle and sports, we are conducting relentless research every day and actively promoting awareness both domestically and internationally.

In 2021, the company obtained a patent for equipment related to the production of washi yarn, successfully achieving our long-held goal of ‘industrialization.’ His passion remains undiminished.