About Kinki Ambari Co. Ltd._108 years since establishment.
We are a leading knitting needle company that has been in business for over 100 years. In 2016, Kinki Amibari celebrated our 100th anniversary. Traditionally these cities in Japan, Takayama, Ikoma-city – Nara prefecture, are very famous for bamboo Tea Whisks and Tea implements. These cities are where the Japanese bamboo products industry prospers. Kinki Amibari produces not only bamboo knitting needles and accessories but also handicrafts article. We are continuing to promote a global knitting culture.
Message from the president
Knitting makes sense for fashionable
We continue to follow our companies promise to always produce knitting needles of the very best quality. To celebrate our 100th anniversary, we launched a new brand of knitting needle, in 2016, called “Seeknit”, to help you seek and explore your own world of knitting. Through our products and various activities, we bring knitting closer to you. Kinki Amibari continues to contribute to and promote the ongoing culture of knitting.
President: Kyoko Oyama
Managing Director: Takashi Oyama
Corporate philosophy
Contribute to the world’s knitting culture while helping enrich people’s minds
Promoting knitting while using green products which are very friendly to our global environment
- Contribute to a prosperous society through our products and various activities by making use of renewable Japanese bamboo and woods. Kinki Amibari will continue to promote the ongoing culture of knitting in the world.
- Operate with suitable products which will not burden the earth environment.。
- We utilize renewable and recyclable resources which is friendly to our environment.
- We design attractive products with particular care taken during their production.
- Traditional engineering and accumulated expertise and trademark skills are passed down from craftsman to craftsman. We continue to investigate and implement suitable new technology, while still ensuring that we are supplying a high quality product.
- We care for our customer relationships and will work with you to improve our mutual business success.
History
| 1916 | Mr.Unokichi Oyama started to produce “Shinshibari” made of Bamboo |
| 1919 | Mr.Unokichi Oyama started to produce bamboo knitting needles |
| 1954/05 | Establishment of Kinki Amibari Industry Co. Ltd. in Higashiku Osaka |
| 1954/12 | Built new Factory and Sales office at Kitayamatomura, Takayama, Ikoma-gun, Nara |
| 1960s | The Koshitsu Treatment process is being researched, developed, and introduced. |
| 1964/05 | Company name was changed to Kinki Amibari Mfg. Co. Ltd. |
| 1970/06 | Mr. Tatsuzo Oyama is inaugurated as president |
| 1980/03 | 2nd floor of building is completed to expand the office area |
| 1983 | Circular needles with swivel capability have been developed and commercialized. |
| 1983/05 | Head office moved to 4368 Takayama, Ikoma-city (current address) |
| 1983/05 | Started export business and marketing |
| 1987 | Interchangeable circular needles and sets have been designed, developed, and introduced to the market as products. |
| 1987/02 | Started OEM(ODM) business |
| 1987/02 | Opened Showroom at our factory |
| 1996 | Crochet hooks with a non-slip grip model have been researched, developed, and made into a product. |
| 2002/05 | Completed for production factory 3rd floor |
| 2002/05 | Mrs. Kyoko Oyama is inaugurated as president |
| 2003/04 | Started Internet Sales online shop for Japanese market |
| 2005/03 | Started own KA brand |
| 2006/03 | Mr. Takashi Oyama is inaugurated as managing director |
| 2010/01 | Asymmetric circular needles have been designed, developed, commercialized, and released. |
| 2010/04 | Started import of Yarns from Germany and selling for Japanese market |
| 2012/09 | Started event business at large department stores in Japan |
| 2014/12 | Installed Solar Power Generation for our operation(80% power consumption is covered by solar) |
| 2014/12 | First visit from Bunka Fashion College from Tokyo (occurs every year now) |
| 2015/10 | Started direct sales at our showroom and knitting workshop held on a regular basis |
| 2015/10 | Introduced the “Seeknit” brand at celebrated 100th anniversary in Japan |
| 2016/08 | Renewal of “KA” Kinki Amibari brand logo at celebrated 100th annivarsary in Japan |
| 2016/08 | Started sales with “Seeknit” brand in worldwide markets |
| 2017/01 | Started Seeknit and KA Online shop on ETSY marketplace |
| 2018/01 | Awarded Silver Prize Health Challenge from Association of national health insurance Nara Branch |
| 2018/01 | Awarded for leading overseas operation company from Nara Prefecture (5 Companies) |
| 2018/02 | Exhibited Tokyo Gift Show |
| 2018/03 | Exhibited Handicraft and Hobby supplies Messe in Cologne Germany, first exhibition |
| 2018/04 | Introduced in the Book “Develop strong company in local” |
| 2018/08 | Introduced in the monthly magazine of August “ Narara Yamatoji” |
| 2018/08 | Mr. Masashi Komurasaki mayor of Ikoma City has visited KA |
| 2018/10 | Exhibited “En Octobrea Paris, Nara-ci Par-La” and held workshop at Japonismes 2018 in France |
| 2018/11 | 12 people from Korean Chungnam Economical Agency has visited KA which has more than 100 years history |
| 2018/12 | Awarded Silver prize for Health Challenge from Association of national health insurance Nara Branch |
| 2019/02 | Exhibited Tokyo Gift Show |
| 2019/03 | Exhibited Handicraft and Hobby supplies Messe in Cologne Germany, 2nd exhibition |
| 2019/10 | Exhibited En octobreà Paris, Nara par-ci par-là and held workshop. Exhibited Nara is everywhere in London in October. |
| 2020/03 | Started sales of “Koshitsu” Interchangeable Circular Needles & Sets for export models. |
| 2020/03 | Presented Seeknit Web Exhibition instead of h+h Messe |
| 2020/03 | Passed the Project Screening for the “JAPAN BRAND” development support project, supported by the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency of Japan |
| 2022/09 | Environmentally Friendly Paper Packaging for Interchangeable Sets |
| 2023/10 | New IC Cords has introduced superior strength, durability, reduced shape memory, and improved flexibility. |
| 2024/03 | Exhibited Handicraft and Hobby supplies Messe in Cologne Germany, 3rd exhibition |
| 2024/08 | Seeknit CURVE New Seamless Interchangeable Circular Needles and Sets development |
Development and introduction of new knitting needle concepts
Kinki Amibari Co. Ltd. is a company that conducted the initial foundational developments and commercialization in the worlds knitting needle industry.
1960s: Koshitsu Treatment Process
1983 : Circular Needles with Swivel Function
1987 : Interchangeable Circular Needles Design & Sets
1996 : Crochet Hooks with Non-Slip Grip Handle Design
2010 : Asymmetric Circular Needles
2024 : Seeknit CURVE New Seamless Interchangeable Circular Needles & Sets
Company Profile
| Company Name | Kinki Amibari Co. Ltd. |
| Foundation | 1916 by Mr. Unokichi Oyama |
| Establishment | 1954 May |
| Capital | 10 million yen |
| President | Kyoko Oyama |
| Business and Products | Bamboo knitting needles, Knitting Implements, Handcrafted articles production and Yarn’s sales |
| Customer | Japan,Overseas ( North America, Europe, Nordic, China, Korea, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South America) |
| Address | 4368 Takayama-cho, Ikoma-city, Nara, Japan, Post no: 630-0101 |
| TEL | +81-(0)743-78-1108 |
| FAX | +81-(0)743-79-0882 |
| HP | http://www.amibari.jp/english |
| Store | https://store.seeknit.com/ https://www.etsy.com/shop/seeknitka/?etsrc=sdt |
| office-en@amibari.jp office@seeknit.com |
