Reusing saves the world
Through the MATOI brand,
We will convey the "beauty of circulation" to the world.
Why we started this brand
From Japan, MATOI is created by a company that delivers reused goods
to more countries around the world than any other,
forming a truly one-of-a-kind circular
high-end
upcycling brand.
Founder Hiroshi Okubo has personally traveled
across reuse markets, production sites, cultures, and environments worldwide,
experiencing them firsthand.
Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States.
Throughout these journeys, he repeatedly encountered
the undeniable reality that
“the more new products we create, the more the planet becomes exhausted.”
Meanwhile, in Japan,
there still exist hundreds of thousands of beautiful kimonos
that have never been worn and remain quietly asleep.
serving as a leading force delivering Japanese reused goods to countries around the world.
The company expands reuse culture by hosting reuse festivals across Japan,
and uniquely possesses the ability to provide data on CO₂ reduction achieved through reuse.
Rather than increasing the production of new goods,
we chose to give new life to beauty that already exists, believing this to be fashion’s most responsible path forward.
From this conviction, MATOI was born.
The Craft of MATOI
A fabric that once embraced someone’s life
now comes to embrace the future of another.
MATOI garments are
not merely remade clothing.
They emerge where the time held within a kimono,
the creativity of designers,
and your own story come together.
We begin by quietly listening
to the kimonos that had been sleeping.
Their colors, patterns, and the hands of the artisans who crafted them.
While respecting the time and emotions
embedded within every detail,
we reshape them into new forms suited for the present.
This craftsmanship is entrusted to
partner workshops in Bangladesh
that place strong emphasis on ethics and environmental responsibility.
Through fair wages, safe working conditions, and educational support,
we build a system where creation is sustained
as work, not charity,
protecting an environment where craftsmanship remains a source of pride.
Each careful stitch
breathes life back into the kimono.
This is our attempt to reimagine
Japan’s long-held wisdom of repairing, restoring, and passing things on,
as a contemporary high-end luxury brand.
What we want to deliver
MATOI is not merely a brand, but a project that connects stories.
Every MATOI piece is entirely one of a kind.
The same pattern and the same kimono fabric will never exist again.
Within each garment live
the time embedded in inherited materials,
the journey the kimono has taken, the warmth of handcraft,
and the future that awaits you.
We revive beautiful kimonos once more,
and pass them on to the next wearer.
A single piece of fabric continues its journey through many lives.
That cycle itself is
the new form of beauty MATOI seeks to deliver.
MATOI's Mission
For the future of fashion,
we commit to realizing three major revolutions that will change the world.
“A Revolution to Reduce Textile Waste”
Every year,
tens of millions of tons of clothing are discarded worldwide.
In Japan alone, this amounts to approximately 500,000 tons.
By maximizing the use of existing resources,
MATOI creates systems that generate no waste.
“A Revolution in Garment Workers’ Environments”
The garment industry faces serious challenges
such as low wages and excessive working hours.
By creating work rather than relying on donations,
MATOI expands environments where artisans can work with pride.
“A Revolution to Carry Kimono Culture into the Future”
Kimono culture is beloved worldwide.
Yet many pieces remain unused and forgotten
in reality.
MATOI elevates traditional beauty
into contemporary high fashion and
reintroduces it to the world.
The future that MATOI aims for
Our goal is
not simply the success of a brand.
We aim to create a world where clothing and kimonos once destined to be discarded
can take center stage once again.
And we will build sustainable production systems
where creators can work with pride.
A world where MATOI’s efforts become
a symbol of sustainability from Japan,
and where circular futures spreading across the globe
are naturally embraced.
And to cultivate in Japan
an upcycling brand that can compete in the global high-fashion market
and share it with the world.
MATOI will ignite a “Revolution of Circulation.”
One garment at a time, changing the future.
Together with you.
HOUSE of MATOI Designer
Jesse Platero
Born in New York, USA, he has lived in Tokyo since 2023.
He worked as a designer for various fashion brands in New York.
He also works as a pattern maker for local New York brands.
Especially denim and natural materials (cotton, linen),
The brand is well-known for its designs that use natural dyes such as black tea dye and persimmon tannin dye.
Kaoru Tagata
Born in Kumamoto Prefecture in 1978
In 1999, he joined Yohji Yamamoto Co., Ltd. and worked there for 11 years as a pattern maker and in charge of planning knitwear and cut-and-sew items.
In 2010, he joined Daiwabounoi Co., Ltd. and worked as a sales representative for four years.
In 2014, he joined SK Creation Studio Ltd. and worked there for three years, handling planning, production, costumes, etc.
In 2017, he became independent as K.STYLE DESIGN
2020: KSD Co., Ltd. established
Mayu Imachi
After gaining experience in planning and production management, mainly for women's items for domestic collection brands and global sports brands, he launched MASTER gUi from the 2024SS collection.
Mina Watanabe
Graduated from Tokyo Tanaka Chiyoda Junior College, Department of Fashion.
Currently working as a costume designer and stylist, he is also a lecturer at Tokyo Film Academy of Acting and other schools.
He receives requests from well-known celebrities and talent agencies and is involved in a wide range of activities, including production, styling, photography, and recording.
She has appeared in numerous media outlets and magazines both at home and abroad.
Since 2011, in order to preserve Japanese culture and craftsmanship, she has been designing kimono fusion fashion and expanding her activities mainly overseas.