Q. Please tell us your background.
AI-san
After graduating from art university, I worked as a designer for other towel and miscellaneous goods manufacturers before joining Izawa Towel.
MT-san
After working as a designer at an advertising agency, I joined Izawa Towel mid-career.
Q. Why did you choose Izawa Towels?
AI-san
For some time now, I have held a desire to be involved in designs that can be used in everyday life and that people can become attached to.
Towels may seem simple, but they are actually profound products that require many processes. The appeal of towels is that they can be used through trial and error in a variety of situations, allowing you to truly create things rather than just design on the surface.
I decided to join Izawa Towel because I thought that it would be able to create products that were truly in demand, as they are focused on the consumer's perspective.
MT-san
I decided to work for this company because I wanted to design products that are closer to consumers, and I felt that it would give me the opportunity to try new things both personally, such as gaining specialized textile knowledge and taking on direction work, and that the company environment was one in which new challenges were constantly being taken on.
Q. Please tell us about your job duties and challenges.
AI-san
Our main focus is on product design and promotional materials design.
The main type of product is towels, but there are also many other bedding and clothing items, and you may be in charge of designing the auxiliary materials that accompany them, such as tags, names, flyers, etc. In addition, the scope of work is wide-ranging, such as researching trends and creating proposal materials to suit proposals to customers.
MT-san
My main job is to control the production side of our in-house brand "Towel Laboratory" which is sold on Amazon. I design product pages that are in line with the concept of the product design and photos, while thinking about how to interest customers.
Q. Please tell us what kind of team you work in.
AI-san
As a group, we are a department with nine designers, and while we share information and divide up work among ourselves, we tend to work in partnership with the sales representatives for each client we are in charge of.
MT-san
I am a member of our nine-person design team and also serve as the marketing team leader.
On projects, we work together with members from different positions, such as sales and PR staff.
Q. What is the best part and rewarding part of your job?
AI-san
Because Izawa Towel has a wide variety of clients, I am able to design a wide range of products, and I feel a great sense of accomplishment when I see the products that I have designed out on the streets and see sales increasing steadily.
MT-san
I think the best part is that you can gain a lot of experience with a lot of discretion, regardless of age.
Q. Please tell us about any new skills or experiences you have gained at Izawa Towel.
AI-san
Since the target audience and concept differ depending on the client, such as a women's goods store, a baby goods store, or a mass retailer, we gained the analytical ability to respond to each one and expanded our design range.
MT-san
My previous job was at a production company, so Izawa Towel was the first place I got to experience the on-site manufacturing process for the product itself. While working on the designs, I was also able to gain specialized knowledge about towels, which are a unique type of textile.
Q. Please tell us what kind of growth environment is available.
AI-san
This is an environment where you can get involved in things that interest you, not just your own department or responsibilities, so I think you will be able to engage in a wide range of activities and grow.
MT-san
We are a company that is determined to break the conventional wisdom and create a better towel industry, so there is a lively atmosphere throughout the company to try new things. We have an environment where you can take the initiative and take on new challenges.
Q. Please tell us about your ambitions for the future.
AI-san
We want to read the changes of the times and face the essential creativity. With aspirations for creating things, we will continue to contribute as employees and as partners of our customers.
MT-san
As we strive for further growth across the entire company, I would like to work hard, aware that each and every task I am responsible for has an important role to play.