Unlike us adults, children aren’t always exactly opinionated or preferential when it comes to the shopping experience — quite often they’re itching to head to the toy store or the food court more than anything!Buying clothes for kids can certainly be a handful, can’t it?
It’s only after you’ve bought the fateful garment and you notice it gathering dust in your little one’s wardrobe that you realize the dilemma at hand:
Your little one simply doesn’t like the clothes you’ve bought them.
What’s a well-meaning parent to do?
Don’t worry — we’ve got just the ticket to ease your kidswear conundrum.
Marutaka: Clothes Your Kids Will Love
Marutaka Clothing, a long-beloved kidswear brand from Japan, takes all the mystery and head-scratching out of the equation.
How? It’s simple:
By actively striving to put smiles on the faces of children everywhere.
Bright, colorful outfits from the Moujonjon brand line (Credit: Official Moujonjon Instagram)
Through its vision, design philosophy, and company ethics, Marutaka has positioned itself as one of Japan’s leading experts in child fashion. Let’s take a look at just what makes the company so special!
“Marutaka Clothing: Childship, Friendship, Earthship.”
Vision: Happiness For All
Established in 1953, Marutaka Clothing produces durable, high-quality kidswear that is equal parts adorable and affordable. In fact, its reputation in Japan is so positive that many families have remained loyal customers for three whole generations (and counting)!
Since its inception, the company has worked tirelessly for the sake of a very important part of the human experience:
Smiles and laughter from every child around the world.
Marutaka believes that the key to a child’s happiness — at least when it comes to clothing — is freedom and comfort. After all, at such a young age, it’s not so much a question of “Will this shirt look good on me on Instagram?” as it is “Will I be able to run and jump around the playground with ease as I pretend to be Superman?”
In that sense, Marutaka’s range of kids clothing doesn’t just dress children — it truly gets children.
Design Philosophy: Togetherness
At Marutaka Clothing, the name of the game is togetherness — both on a national and international scale.
Despite its storied history and reputation of reliability among the Japanese public, Marutaka doesn’t just try to cater to domestic tastes. Far from it: Design and planning teams give careful consideration to the myriad color schemes, silhouettes, and materials that various cultures around the world find popular too! This allows the company to effectively pinpoint various fashion trends and expand its market reach, ensuring its clothes find a home in all wardrobes everywhere.
Image by Rawpixel
This philosophy of togetherness also runs through each of the company’s many factories and workstations. Staff are fully committed to the ideal, placing paramount importance on communication and teamwork as they go about their daily duties. This collaborative attitude and effort ensures that any child who wears a garment from Marutaka Clothing can feel the affection put into making it!
Check out a typical day at Marutaka Clothing below:
Ethics: Human Responsibility
The “human responsibility” that comes part and parcel with manufacturing has never been more important than it is today.
- Where are the goods coming from?
- How are they produced?
- Who are they intended (and not intended) for?
- How does their creation impact the workers involved?
- What change do they effect on our planet as a whole?
Humanity lies at the heart of Marutaka’s every effort: its vision encapsulates the human experience of happiness, and its design philosophy exemplifies the human experience of togetherness.
But there’s one more element of humanity that the company focuses on — and you might say it’s the biggest one of all:
Our human responsibility as inhabitants of the earth.
Marutaka Clothing believes that its apparel has the power to bring smiles to every child on the planet — not just those in the domestic Japanese market. That’s how universal its appeal is.
Clothing is a fundamental need in the vast majority of cultures and societies around the world.
What contribution to the planet (and us humans!) could be greater than manufacturing clothes that make people happy?
Customer Satisfaction
At Marutaka Clothing, the customer always comes first — and in this case, that means the children themselves! As mentioned at the start of this article, the company treats freedom and comfort as central to a child’s satisfaction — and when you think about your little one’s lifestyle, it’s hard to disagree.
Image by Rawpixel
Wild, free, and fun
With kids, it’s all engines go — almost all the time. With boundless curiosity and (ironically) limited attention spans, they’ll often be darting about so fast you’ll find it hard to keep up!
Of course, that means they’re going to need outfits that can keep up with their dynamic lifestyles — and then some. Clothes that give them a full range of motion as they dash and dive from one place to the next. That’s the kind of freedom that Marutaka prides itself on: light, fluid clothes that won’t bog your little ball of energy down.
And no doubt you’ve seen children tug at their unfitting waistbands, struggle with a restrictive sweater, toss and turn in their pajamas, or simply refuse to be swallowed up in a bulky jacket, even while stationary. With Marutaka Clothing, you certainly never will — because that constricting feeling is exactly the type of situation it strives to avoid with its products.
So when the engines are (eventually) off? Even then, freedom is paramount.
Image by Rawpixel
Durable and comfortable
At the end of the day, kids will be kids. They’ll frolic around during a downpour without a care in the world. Hurl themselves headfirst into a puddle of mud without a moment’s notice, just because. Plop down in the middle of the road and refuse to budge, if it’ll goad their parents into buying them that toy they want.
Your child’s clothes need to be able to withstand not only rough weather and even rougher playtime, but also — for those very reasons — multiple washes as well, sometimes in the space of a few days! Fortunately, Marutaka Clothing’s highly durable outfits won’t fail on you in that regard.
Many of Marutaka’s outfits are made from 100% cotton, ensuring softness and breathability throughout the day. Your little one will love the texture and the level of comfort they provide — and with less stretching and struggling (as is prone with uncomfortable clothes), you can rest assured they’ll last a lot longer to boot!
Brands: Something for Everyone
Marutaka Clothing has a host of dedicated brands, all with their own designs tailored toward a different demographic. From tyrannosaurs to tiger lilies and trains, there really is something for everyone.
Read on to find out more!
#1: Moujonjon (General)
Moujonjon is all about color, and lots of it. The brand focuses on versatile daily wear full of striking palettes and simple, lovable patterns — perfect for kids of all ages who like to stand out in a crowd!
Lighter colors such as yellows and pinks dominate in the hotter seasons, while more classic choices like browns and blacks pop up when things get a bit chillier. It’s a cheerful, colorful treasure trove that works all year round.
#2: Kid’s Zoo (Babies)
These clothes go out to all the little animal lovers out there! No matter what cute member of the animal kingdom your baby adores, Kid’s Zoo has got them covered — whether it be penguins, bears, or lions.
The brand boasts a warm, natural style that’s just perfect when you consider the subject matter and target audience. Some of the designs get very creative as well, with ears, fins, spines, and other protuberances that split off the garment in order to add to the overall animal aesthetic!
#3: LB Club (Boys)
LB Club is specifically aimed at young males. It boasts a lineup that is cute, cool, and classic — in a word, functional fashion that gets the job done for your little prince!
It’s no secret that many boys won’t necessarily gush over their clothes — especially at such a young age. But on the other opposite end of the spectrum, you won’t find them grimacing or grumbling either when they’re wearing Marutaka outfits! It’s a testament to their undeniable appeal.
Marutaka Clothing summer catalog 2021
#4: Wil Mery (Girls)
Will Mery values chic comfort and style above all else. Girls play just as much as boys, after all — and they need to be ready for any sort of activity that comes their way!
Will Mery garments strive to replicate current popular fashion trends while still allowing girls to spread their wings and move around freely. This makes it the perfect choice for princesses who want to dress like adults but remain young at heart at the same time.
#5: Kids Foret (Accessories)
Oftentimes it’s not just what you wear, but what goes with it. An ensemble is more than just a shirt and pants, after all.
Kids Foret specializes in all sorts of fun accessories that will complement your child’s outfit — be it umbrellas, hats, bags, or socks. So for rainy days, trips to school, or times when your child absolutely needs a pair of stylish dinosaur socks, be sure to give this brand a look.
With so much variety in both the nature of the lineup and the designs that populate it, it pays to come back often to Kids Foret to see what kind of new products they have in stock!
#6: Hungry Heart (Trains, Trains, Trains!)
Trains are very popular among children in Japan. You’ll often see elementary school students line up on a station platform just to take a photo of one pulling in — doubly so if it’s a shinkansen (bullet train).
Even the biggest Japanese department stores like Daimaru and Takashimaya have dedicated areas for train merchandise!
If your child has just discovered how cool locomotives can be, why not have them show their friends their new passion with some Japanese train-themed goodies from Hungry Heart? Featuring shinkansen and trains from all over Japan like Hankyu (Osaka-Kyoto), Kintetsu (Osaka-Nara), Meitetsu (Nagoya), and more!
Where to Buy Marutaka Clothing Apparel
Direct from ZenPlus
You can buy Marutaka Clothing products directly from Japan via ZenPlus! We connect beloved Japanese brands with customers around the globe, and the generations-old Marutaka Clothing certainly fits the bill. In fact, ZenPlus is the only way to get their goods outside of Japan.
Click this link or the photo below to visit our Marutaka showcase.
Categories and search results can be filtered by size, price, and brand, with a bonus section for available discounts! This way, it is very easy to navigate between different choices and pick out the exact type of clothing you’re looking for.
Best of all, you don’t have to worry about any language barriers — everything appears in English for your convenience. And if you’ve got any questions, our support team will translate them for you and forward them to Marutaka itself.
Discounts: Get More for Less
Marutaka Clothing respects and supports families around the world, as evidenced by its underlying business model of producing both adorable and affordable outfits.
Still, any parent loves a good discount (especially with so many other essentials to provide to your little ones), and it’s nice to know that Marutaka has plenty of those too.
Some even go as high as the 65% off range!
Click here to see all discounts!
Just some of the discounts from Marutaka Clothing
Recap: Making Clothes That Children Love
Here’s how Marutaka Clothing is able to make clothes that children truly love:
- Vision based on happiness for all
- Design philosophy based on togetherness
- Company ethics based on human responsibility
Marutaka is the perfect place to pick up some adorable and affordable outfits for your kids. And with it only being available overseas through ZenPlus, you’re bound to wind up with some truly unique looks!
Check out the video below by the Reutter family of Life in Japan fame on YouTube to see some Marutaka outfits in action. Not only were the Reutter kids excited to receive their new clothes, they also were vocal during the selection process itself!
“I’m going to wear it to school tomorrow even if it’s raining, or cold, or hot! Yeah!”
Just another example of how Marutaka Clothing produces apparel that children well and truly love.
With a massive variety of outfits, designs, and brands to choose from, there’s bound to be something for everyone at Marutaka Clothing!
Over to You!
Which clothes in this article did you find the cutest?
What’s important to you when buying apparel for your children?
What clothes in your kids’ wardrobe do they love the most?
Let us know in the comments or drop us a line on social media (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook)! We’d love to hear from you!
ZenPlus is your one-stop shop for all things Japanese.
This is a collaboration post with Marutaka Clothing, but all opinions and statements are the author and editor’s own.
Written by Ruel Butler
Edited by ZenPlus
Other articles you'll enjoy
For more unique Japanese store spotlights, check out the articles below:
- Nicker: Anime & Manga Supplies For Artists Everywhere
- Sleeved Sleeping Bags: Free Your Hands
- Real Talk: Most Expensive Pokemon Cards (& Their Real Worth)
Thanks for reading!
....................................................
Like this article? Please share to
....................................................
Related Topics
