Group History

Wacoal's history from its foundation in 1946 to the resent day
* Company is partitioned and makes transition to holding company system under Wacoal Holdings Corporation in October 2005

  Corporate History Topics
1946
  • Wako Shoji (precursor to Wako Corp.) founded by Koichi Tsukamoto
1949
  • Wako Corp. established with 1 million yen in capital (Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto)
  • Marketing of "brassiere pads" begins
1950
  • Business with Takashimaya Department Store Kyoto Branch started
1951
  • Liaison office opened in Osaka
  • Head office moved to Anekoji-agaru, Muromachi-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
  • Begin manufacturing operations
1952
  • Branch office opened in Tokyo
  • First lingerie show held
1953
  • Trademark is changed from clover to "Wacoal"
1954
  • Advertising Section established for publicity for lingerie
1955
  • PR magazine, "Wacoal News," inaugurated
1956
  • Branch office opened in Fukuoka
1957
  • Head Office moved to 103 Shichijo Goshono-uchi, Minami-machi, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto
  • Company name changed to Wacoal Inc.
1959
  • Tokai Wacoal Sewing Corp. established as a domestic manufacturing company, and seven sewing subsidiaries established in Japan
1961
  • Liaison office opened in Nagoya
1964
  • Company name changed to Wacoal Corp.
  • Wacoal listed on the Second Section of the Tokyo and Osaka Stock Exchanges and the Kyoto Stock Exchange
  • Newspaper advertisements started
1965
  • "Golden Proportions" advocated
  • First television commercial campaign
1967
  • Head office moved to 29 Nakajima-cho, Kisshoin, Minami-ku, Kyoto (current location)
  • Patent for the "Tummy Girdle" obtained in 13 countries overseas
  • Begin marketing of "Little Wacoal"
1968
  • Liaison office opened in Sapporo
1970
  • Three foreign joint ventures companies (Korea Wacoal Corp., Thai Wacoal Public Co., Ltd., and Taiwan Wacoal Co., Ltd.) established
  • Sponsor "Wacoal-Riccar Pavilion" at the Osaka Expo
  • Personal Wear Division (current Personal Wear Division, also handling nightwear) established
1971
  • Wacoal listed on the First Section of the Tokyo and Osaka Stock Exchanges
1972
  • "Seamless Cup Brassieres" achieve are a hit
1973
  • Wacoal International Corp. (current WING brand) established
1974
  • Begin supplying "Remamma Brassieres"
1975
  • Begin marketing Wing Brand products
1977
  • American Depository Receipts (ADR) issued, listed in NASDAQ
  • New York office opened
1978
  • Singapore office opened (current Wacoal Singapore Pte. Ltd.)
  • Kyoto Costume Institute (KCI) established
  • "Front Hook Bra" is a hit
1979
  • Start offering technical guidance to Shanghai Yale Ladies' Undergarment Factory
  • Company logo changed from original clover to the current fashion flower
  • "Beautiful Proportions" published
1980
  • Wacoal receives the first "Corporate Cultural Design Award" from the Japan Cultural Design Conference
1981
  • Wacoal America Inc. (current Wacoal International Corp.) established as an overseas subsidiary
  • "Shape Pants" achieve hit sales
1983
  • Wacoal Hong Kong Co., Ltd. established as an overseas subsidiary
  • Acquire American corporation, Teenform Inc.; Wacoal America, Inc. established
  • Begin sales of "Shape-up Swim Suits" and leotards
1984
  • Kojimachi Building completed
  • Market Development Division established
  • Human Science Research Center develops the silhouette analysis device
1985
  • Spiral Building completed in Tokyo. Wacoal Art Center Co., Ltd. established
  • Sponsor "Modern Japanese Painting Exhibition" in five countries
1986
  • Beijing Wacoal Co., Ltd. established as a joint venture company
  • "Wacoal Women's Track and Field Team" launched
  • Shape memory wire alloy bra "Cocochi E" is a hit
1987
  • Yoshikata Tsukamoto (son of Koichi) assumes presidency
  • Sports project "Spark Angels" launched
1988
  • Marketing of "Physio" comfort shoes begins
1989
  • Philippine Wacoal Corp. established as a joint venture company
1990
  • Wacoal France S.A. established as an overseas subsidiary
  • Manufacture and sale of bridal wear begins
1991
  • Indonesia Wacoal Co., Ltd. established as a joint venture company
1992
  • Shanghai Yadie Fashions Co., Ltd. established as a joint venture company
  • "Good Up Bra" is a hit
  • Wacoal America, Inc. receives first "Partner in Excellence Award" from Nordstrom
1993
  • Joint venture agreement for Korea Wacoal Corp. is cancelled; investment made into Shinyoung Inc. in Republic of Korea (the current Shinyoung Wacoal Inc.)
1995
  • Guangdong Wacoal Inc. established as an overseas subsidiary
  • "Golden Canon" published
  • KCI receives "Special prize by Judging Committee sponsored by Japan Mecenat Awards 1995"
1996
  • Exhibit held at "Dessous China - China International Trade Fair for Lingerie & Beachwear" trade show in Shanghai, China
1997
  • Vietnam Wacoal Corp. established as an overseas subsidiary
  • Achieves ISO9001 certification
  • Guangdong Wacoal Inc. recognized as an "A-Ranked Company"
1998
  • Founder Koichi Tsukamoto passes away
1999
  • New head office building completed
  • US Wacoal receives the "Femmy Award" sponsored by the US Underwear Fashion Club
  • Marketing of semi-order-made brassieres "Dubleve" begins
2000
  • Joint venture agreement for Beijing Wacoal Co., Ltd. canceled and re-established as Beijing Wacoal Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary
  • "Spiral Aging" published
  • Receives the "Family-friendly Company Award" sponsored by the Ministry of Labor, Health and Welfare
2001
  • Wacoal (UK) Limited established as an overseas subsidiary
  • Achieves ISO14001 certification
  • Tsubomi School starts its education programs on underwear and the body targeted at young girls.
2002
  • Wacoal Sports Science Corp. established in the US
  • Wacoal (Shanghai) Human Science R&D Co., Ltd. established in China
  • WJ Corp. established as a joint venture company with World Co., Ltd.
  • Customer Salon established within the Head Office
  • Customer Salon established within the Head Office
2003
  • Wacoal Malaysia Sdn Bhd established as a joint venture company
  • Beijing Wacoal Co., Ltd. changed to Wacoal China Co., Ltd.
  • Dalian Wacoal Co., Ltd. established as an overseas subsidary
2004
  • Nagasaki Wacoal Sewing Corp. and Kumamoto Wacoal Sewing Corp. combined and re-established as Kyushu Wacoal Manufacturing Corp.
  • Directly managed luxury brand shop "Wacoal Dia" opened in Ginza, Tokyo
2005
  • Company is partitioned and makes transition to holding company system under Wacoal Holdings Corp.
  • Women's new functional "Style Science" underwear series launched
2006
  • Wacoal Dublevé Corp. is established by spinning off a business division.
  • Western Japan Distribution Center (Moriyama-shi,Shiga prefecture) starts operations
  • Business and capital alliance formed with Peach John Co., Ltd.
2007
  • Launched a brand for the ASEAN region "sorci age"
2008
  • Peach John Co., Ltd. became a wholly owned Wacoal subsidiary
  • Men's functional "crosswalker" underwear products released
  • Total sales of Style Science Series products (women's and men's) exceeded ten million units (November)
  • Local retailing started in Vietnam
2009
  • Lecien Corp. became a wholly owned Wacoal subsidiary (August)
  • Brassiere Recycling Campaign was implemented
  • Sponsor "Japanese Painting"
  • Breast Care Act. Start
2010
  • "Aging of the Physique and Principles of Beauty :Bust edition" released
2011
  • Wacoal Canada Inc. established
  • "Aging of the Physique and Principles of Beauty :Hip edition" released
2012
  • Wacoal Kyoto South Distribution Corp. established
  • Eveden Group Limited (UK) *(current Wacoal Europe Ltd) became a wholly owned Wacoal subsidiary (April)
  • "Facts about Growth and Change of Children's Busts" released
2013
  • Wacoal Europe SAS (France) established [Wacoal France S.A. and Eveden SARL are integrated]
2014
  • For general merchandising stores "ALULA" innerwear series launched
2015
  • Ai CO., LTD. established
  • Myanmar Wacoal Company Limited established as a joint venture company
  • Wacoal India Private Limited established as a joint venture company
  • "Wacoal"brand launched by Wacoal Europe Ltd
2016
  • A Tech Textile Co., Ltd. and G Tech Material Co., Ltd. Established
  • New Kyoto Building completed
2018
  • Yoshikata Tsukamoto became Chairman, and Hironobu Yasuhara became President.
  • Started the accommodation business utilizing kyomachiya.
  • Wacoal Europe Ltd. received the Designer of the Year award.
2019
  • Intimates Online,Inc. became a wholly owned Wacoal subsidiary
  • Opened a next-generation innerwear store called Wacoal 3D smart & try
2022
  • Yoshitaka Tsukamoto became Honorary Chairperson
2023
  • Masaaki Yajima became President.
PAGETOP