Gunze

Gunze Limited (グンゼ株式会社, Gunze Kabushiki Kaisha) is a Japanese clothing brand with its registered head office in Ayabe, Kyoto Prefecture, its Osaka head office, and a Tokyo office.^[1] It was established on August 10, 1896,^[2] by Tsurukichi Hatano, and was originally known as Gunze Silk Manufacturing Co., Ltd. .^[3]

Gunze headquarters in Ayabe, Kyoto Prefecture

The company started the Gunze Blue-Mountain Underwear brand in association with Daiei in 1962, and this brand was used for all sexes before the introduction of the Christie brand for women in 1968. In a three-year period from 1962 the brand made up 6 percent of Daiei's turnover of underwear.^[4] It began selling its clothing in Thailand in 2000.^[5]

The company's flagship outlet is in Harajuku.^[6]