Story of Hamanaka
Hamanaka Co., Ltd. is a long‑established Japanese manufacturer of hand‑knitting yarns and craft materials based in Kyoto. The business began in 1940 when founder Toshio Hamanaka started a fashion ornament manufacturing and wholesale company; it reorganised as Hamanaka Shoten in 1956 and later adopted the current name Hamanaka Co., Ltd..
Hamanaka has since become one of Japan’s most renowned yarn brands, producing a wide range of premium materials—from cosy wool blends to eco‑friendly raffia‑style fibres—at its own facilities.
The company has been spinning yarn at its Miyazaki factory for more than 70 years. Its corporate philosophy is to spread the joy of creativity through handicrafts, aiming to provide heartwarming products and contribute to society. President Tomoko Hamanaka emphasises that beyond selling yarn, the company’s real “product” is the happiness people experience when making something unique for themselves or loved ones.
Today Hamanaka continues to innovate with diverse yarns—such as wool‑acrylic blends (Amerry), antibacterial acrylic yarns (Bonnie), raffia‑style Eco Andaria and undyed Sonomono wool—and inspires crafters worldwide through workshops and creative challenges.
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