Crystal Road Co., Ltd.
A joint project between Kanko School Uniform and Sensory
Hypersensitivity Research Institute. A report on a shirt/blouse fitting event for students who have sensory sensitivities and don’t like wearing school uniforms.
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Crystal Road Co., Ltd. (Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Rie Kato) and Sugako School Uniform Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Ekimotomachi, Kita-ku, Okayama City, CEO: Shigeru Ozaki) operate the Sensory Hypersensitivity Research Institute. On Sunday, September 8th and Monday, September 9th, 2024, we held a try-on session for an improved version of the “Easy Dress Shirt” that can be worn with confidence by students with sensory sensitivities.
The Institute for Sensory Hypersensitivity and Kanko School Uniforms have focused on the issue of children and students who have difficulty wearing school uniforms due to sensory sensitivities because they feel uncomfortable or painful, and from 2022, students with sensory sensitivities will be able to wear them with peace of mind. We are working on a joint project to develop uniforms, and have so far planned and sold shirts and conducted educational activities for teachers.
After a crowdfunding campaign conducted in the fall of 2023, we have been selling “easy shirts” at Kanko School Uniform stores and the Sensory Hypersensitivity Research Institute online store.
Features of easy-to-wear shirts
We are trying to solve the following shirt problems.
1. Designed so that seams and tags do not touch the skin – Adopts a “roll-up stitch” that wraps the edges of the fabric. Flat seams reduce skin irritation. – The edge of the fabric at the hem is folded outward to prevent the folded part from touching the skin. – All tags that are often attached to the neck have been removed, and necessary
information such as size is written on the care label (attached to the inside of the breast pocket where it does not touch the skin).
2. By making the soft collar and collar in one piece that does not tighten around the neck, we have significantly reduced the difference in height, fabric thickness, and seams. – In order to prevent the fabric from losing its shape and increase durability, we have also made sure that the interlining attached to the inside of the fabric is soft.
3. Made of high-grade 100% cotton fabric – The length and thinness of the top-quality cotton makes it soft and comfortable to wear.
4. Balancing comfort and formality – While incorporating various specifications to improve comfort, the appearance is not significantly different from a conventional cutter shirt. – We paid special attention to the spacing of the buttons so that the neckline does not open too much even when the top button is removed.
Winner of Kids Design Award 2024
Our easy-to-wear shirts won the 18th Kids Design Award.
Reference: Holding a try-on session for improvements
In order to improve the easy-to-wear shirts, a try-on session was held on Sunday, September 8th and Monday, September 9th, 2024 at Kanko School Uniform’s Tokyo showroom (Higashi Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo). Participants were 10 middle school and high school students who applied through SNS. Each of them suffered from sensory sensitivities that made it difficult for them to wear their school uniforms. There are some who went on to schools that do not require uniforms, and some who do not attend school. They talked about their concerns and thoughts, such as “I want to wear a uniform like everyone else,” and “I want to be able to wear a dress shirt or suit in the future when I’m at work or at formal occasions.”
The improved version of the “Easy Dress Shirt” after this try-on session is scheduled to go on sale in January 2025.
The current “Easy Dress Shirt” is sold at the Sensory
Hypersensitivity Research Institute’s online store.
Product page: https://kankakufactory.com/products/kanko-y-shirt Sugako School Uniform Co., Ltd.
Founded in 1854 (Ansei 1). We are a school solutions company that works closely with children and all the people who support student life through school uniforms and gym uniforms, and solves various social issues. https://kanko-gakuseifuku.co.jp
What is Kanko Student Engineering Research Institute?
Kanko’s “Student Engineering” concept looks at children from four perspectives: “body,” “heart,” “age,” and “learning.” Our mission at the Kanko Student Engineering Research Institute is to conduct basic research based on this idea, investigate the trends of the times, children’s growth, preferences, etc., and create new value. We will also open our doors to those outside the company and further deepen our future activities by co-creating with companies and research institutions that share our aspirations. We will create something. We aim to realize a safe and comfortable student life beyond that.
https://kanko-gakuseifuku.co.jp/lab/
Sensory Hypersensitivity Research Institute
The Sensory Hypersensitivity Research Institute was established in January 2020 to solve the problem of sensory hypersensitivity. We carry out educational activities on sensory sensitivities, planning, development, and sales of products and services, and research on sensory sensitivities.
https://kabin.life/
In addition, we are developing the apparel brand “KANKAKU FACTORY”, which solves the issue of sensory sensitivities.
https://kankakufactory.com/
Director: Roei Kato
Born in 2006. In 2018, at the age of 12, he started his own business and established Crystal Road Co., Ltd. Because he was too old to have the right to represent the company, he started a business in the style of a parent-child business and became the president and director without having the right to represent the company. We are working on a variety of initiatives with the aim of creating a society that does not give up on the “now” because of age, money, illness, disability, gender, nationality, common sense, etc. Currently focusing on the work of the Sensory Hypersensitivity Research Institute. In June 2021, he acquired representative rights and became president and representative director. Forbes Japan 30 U30 2023 Selected as “Under 30 who are changing the world”. Unexplored Creator selected by IPA 2023 Unexplored IT Human Resources and Development Discovery Project. SNS: https://x.com/crystalroad2006
Crystal Road Co., Ltd.
Founded: December 2018 Headquarters: 6-14 Nihonbashi Yokoyama-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Nihonbashi Underground Testing Site Representative: Roei Kato Business: Sensory Inclusive Business URL:
https://crystalroad.jp/