Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture, where our company is located, has had a thriving textile industry since the Nara period 1,300 years ago. Kiryu weaving, a luxury textile that has earned the nickname "Nishijin in the West, Kiryu in the East" for its excellent quality and high level of craftsmanship, is at the top of the list and has been highly acclaimed not only in Japan but also around the world.
The Hikobe family, a samurai family that came to Kiryu, known as the "town of textiles," during the Muromachi period, ran a weaving business within their estate, invented a new textile that was durable and warm by weaving silk and rayon together at a price that even common people could afford, and sold Kiryu textiles all over the world... They continued to help people by creating things from "a single thread" as times changed.
Although they are craftsmen, they always keep a spirit of inquiry and maintain a "scientific" perspective as they take on new inventions. The Hikobe family spirit that has been passed down through the generations in this town is still the origin of our manufacturing today.

Koichi Hikobe was born in 1917 in Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture.
After the war, he founded Nippon Tokushu Seni Co., Ltd., the predecessor of Hikobe Kagaku, and as a local inventor, he invented a variety of things.
He did not keep his inventions for himself, but instead created local inventors' associations and other cooperatives to contribute to the local community where he was born and raised.

Hikobe Scientific Laboratory was founded in June 1956. The word "science" was included in the company name to reflect the spirit of inventing things that do not yet exist and creating new things. The strong desire of the founder remains as the company motto of Hikobe Scientific to this day, and all employees work hard every day to create new things.

Koichi Hikobe was a local inventor who created many things that did not exist in this world.
The invention of crimped yarn, which is now commonly used as a cleaning tool, and body towels and dusters made from crimped yarn were all new products brought to the world by Koichi Hikobe.
The founder, who was always creating new things, was just like an inventor, losing interest in the finished product and starting to create something new.

The current form of Hikobe Science is largely due to the influence of Kyoichi Hikobe (current president), who succeeded the founder.
Kyoichi Hikobe became president of Hikobe Science in 1972 at the age of 22. With the same spirit as the founder, he has always created new things. His favorite saying is "Nothing is impossible for Hikobe Science," and he has been thinking day and night to overcome any challenge, no matter how difficult, and making his ideas a reality.
The products produced by Hikobe Science today are refined versions of the products created by the company's founder, Koichi Hikobe.

The modern thread-wound shade was created based on an invention by the company's founder, Koichi Hikobe.
This product has been loved in Japan for over 60 years since its invention. The hico series, which features a double shade made with our own proprietary thread technology, won the Gunma Good Design Award in 2011.