What supports beauty
rich water and greenery
Visiting the hometown of high-quality cotton

Taking care of your skin is called "care." With the hope that it will become beautiful, I take some cosmetics into my palm and gently apply it to my skin. Shiseido wanted to further fulfill that wish. What I came up with was the idea of ​​using cotton for skin care. Soak ``The Ginza His Superior Cotton'' in lotion and place it on your face, from your cheeks to your forehead and around your mouth. It feels good. After applying the lotion with my palm, I felt a sensation I had never felt before, and then there was a moment when I felt a feeling of contentment. Shiseido's cotton not only glides smoothly on the skin and allows for even application, but also satisfies your emotions. I wanted to know more about this cotton, so I visited Hiroshima, the birthplace of the highest quality cosmetic cotton.

world's first
A cosmetic product called cotton
Birthplace: Hiroshima

30 minutes by car from Hiroshima Airport. While admiring the rice fields swaying with blue rice ears and the houses with red glazed tile roofs known as Sekishu Kawara, I arrived at Sanyo Corporation. The person who welcomed us was the president, Takashi Kosako. Cosmetic cotton did not exist in this world until 1962, when President Kosako's father, who had started a cotton batting business for futons after the war and was active in the manufacturing of medical absorbent cotton, developed it at the request of Shiseido. It is said that Since then, it has been solely responsible for the production of all Shiseido Group cotton, as well as ``The Ginza Specially Selected Cotton.'' Many of Shiseido's cosmetics recommend applying them to the skin using cotton. For example, ``The Ginza Superior Cotton'' is used for ``The Ginza Energizing Lotion,'' and ``Clé de Peau Beautelle Coton'' is used for ``Clé de Peau Beauté Lotion Idro.'' We are developing cotton that best matches.

President Kosako has toured cotton producing areas around the world, including the United States, Brazil, Peru, and Australia. Only carefully selected raw cotton is collected by Sanyo Corporation. He was surprised to hear that some products use only the first-picked cotton, which is said to be of the highest quality. What is also unique is that the characteristics of raw cotton vary depending on the region of production. For example, the fibers from California are long and thin, and they don't curl as much. The Texas-grown fibers are medium-thick and tightly curled like curly hair. The lengths of the Australian ones are fairly uniform. When you pick up each one, you will notice that they are completely different, with some being more elastic and others having longer fibers. It is important to capture the characteristics, blend them, and design them to make use of them in products.

The raw cotton harvested from each production area is loaded into containers and arrives here in Hiroshima six months after harvest. First, seeds and other particles attached to the raw cotton are removed, and the cotton is degreased and bleached. The raw cotton is then thoroughly loosened and combed to create a thin film, which is then layered with layers, and the cotton is entwined using the super water jet method. After being thoroughly dried and rolled into a cloth shape, it is cut into cotton shapes, boxed, and shipped. Kosako says that each process has its own ingenuity unique to Sanyo Corporation. It can be said that he has constantly refined his skills and developed the ability to keep pace with the evolution of Shiseido's cosmetics.

"Cotton is alive," says Kosako. From the rainy season to the summer, cotton collects moisture from the humidity, and in the winter it releases moisture and tends to dry out, so careful attention is paid to room temperature and humidity in the factory, from storage to production. However, this property is the reason why cotton is used for skin care. To absorb cosmetics well and release them firmly onto the skin. This is a technique that cotton can do, which cannot be achieved by just blending it in with your palms. Furthermore, research continues in order to express the comfort of skin care using cotton and to support the ever-evolving cosmetic products. Every time a new product is released, there is a need to develop matching cotton. The company plans a design that matches the characteristics of the cosmetics in question, and repeats many prototypes.

The key to smooth skin texture
Soft water that cultivates delicious sake
knitting cotton

In 1992, Kosako moved its factory, which had previously been located in Hiroshima, to its current location. In search of soft water suitable for cotton manufacturing, he found present-day Toyosaka Town, near Saijo, where many Japanese sake breweries were located. Saijo is known as one of Japan's three major sake producing areas, along with Fushimi and Nada. It is home to many of Hiroshima's leading sake breweries, including Kamo Izumi, Kamotsuru, and Hakubotan, and is famous for its soft water, which is essential for sake brewing. "It was an absolute requirement to have high-quality soft water. If there is even a small amount of minerals, such as iron, they will get entangled with the cotton fibers and cause stiffness," says Kosako.

Water is also used to knit cotton. It is a super water jet manufacturing method that uses only water to knit cotton using high-pressure water jets and suction. This loom manufacturing method was developed in the United States, and Sanyo Corporation's originality lies in its use for cotton production. As a result, the cotton will not fluff and the surface will be smooth. Kosako is particular about its manufacturing machinery, placing orders with machine manufacturers and delivering them without assembly, and assembling and adjusting them in-house. Because he doesn't leave the ingenuity and adjustments to others, he takes pride in being able to consistently deliver challenging products. It is used not only for its technical strength but also for environmental measures. The used groundwater is purified by the power of enzymes and bacteria, returning it to clean water that irrigates the surrounding countryside. Just like cotton is gentle on the skin, it is also gentle on nature.

Sanyo Corporation has been involved in the production of cosmetic cotton for 57 years. It began in 1961 when beauty staff at the Shiseido Hiroshima sales company cut cotton wool into small pieces every day with scissors and used them to serve customers. The world's first cosmetic cotton was created here in Hiroshima out of a desire to save that time and provide a comfortable skin care experience. Now, it has been discovered that by using cotton, you can bring out the potential of cosmetics in a way that is even better than applying it by hand. Making high-quality cotton that supports daily skin care. I wanted to know more about skin care using cotton.

(Titles omitted)

The Ginza　https://www.theginza.co.jp/
The Ginza Special Cotton　https://www.cotton.theginza.co.jp/

Interview cooperation
Sanyo Corporation Co., Ltd.

Continue to the world of premium cotton that Japan is proud of (Part 2)