About COTOCUL
Creating a global brand originating from Kyoto
What is COTOCUL?
The brand name Kotokaru is a combination of the words "koto" (ancient capital) and "cultue" (culture), and embodies our desire to spread the culture of Kyoto and the good things about Japan through manufacturing, and we value the attitude and temperament of the Japanese people when it comes to manufacturing.
In the beginning
In 2005, we started an apparel brand of casual clothing with Japanese patterns, focusing on jeans. Initially, we wholesaled products produced at partner factories to specialty stores across the country, but with the desire to deliver products we made ourselves directly to customers, we started the handmade leather goods brand "COTOCUL" in 2015.
Commitment to manufacturing
Our workshop is made up of people who love making things. Because we are not skilled craftsmen, we are not bound by what is commonplace in the industry, but rather we think for ourselves and create things with our own hands. We cannot produce a large number of things cheaply or quickly, but we strive every day to create things that enrich the hearts of those who hold them in their hands.
Attention to materials
In 2019, we launched our original leather brand, Miyako Leather. Rather than simply requesting custom colors and patterns, we aim to use locally produced leather for local consumption, and are challenging ourselves to develop leather that incorporates Japanese culture, using rawhide from cows raised in Kyoto. Material development is many times more difficult and time-consuming than product development, but we are steadily evolving every day, and recently we have been gaining more support from overseas customers.
What we aim for
As IT and AI continue to evolve and the world becomes more convenient, we expect that people will seek out other people. Therefore, we have always strived to create products that people can relate to, and we hope to enrich people's lives through our manufacturing.
