Founded in 1954 in Higashikagawa, Kagawa—Japan’s renowned glove-making region—Naigai has spent more than 70 years creating gloves for sports and many other fields.
Through design expertise tailored to each sport and use, sourcing carefully selected materials from approximately 20 countries around the world, and production and quality systems linking headquarters with six overseas bases,
we have earned the trust of brands and top athletes at home and abroad.
Naigai continues to pursue the highest standards
in technology, development, and quality.
1. Technical expertise built over a long history
Naigai was founded in 1954 in Higashikagawa, Kagawa Prefecture.
Higashikagawa has been one of Japan’s leading glove-producing regions for about 130 years and accounts for more than 90% of domestic glove production.
Here we have planned, developed, and produced a wide range of gloves for sports, fashion, work, and other uses. The specialized knowledge, skills, and design know-how we have built along the way form the foundation of our manufacturing today. In particular, the patterns we have refined over many years are managed as data, enabling us to propose optimal designs based on intended use, operating conditions, and material characteristics.
We also began expanding overseas in the 1960s and were among the first glove manufacturers to build a global production network. Today we operate six overseas bases and work with global brands on numerous development and production projects.
Drawing on technical expertise refined over a long history, Naigai delivers stable manufacturing that meets diverse needs.
2. Development that balances function and design
The gloves Naigai develops combine the functionality and design required for each use and sport at a high level. On the functional side, we study hand movement, bone structure, and joint range of motion, apply those insights to pattern design, and select materials suited to each application—creating gloves with outstanding fit and comfort. This helps maximize performance during play and work.
In design, we value expressing both innovation and each brand’s unique identity, carefully selecting and positioning materials without compromising function. Sublimation printing, in particular, is handled entirely at headquarters and supplied to overseas factories. This prevents color variation, ensures consistent quality in mass production, and expands design possibilities.
First samples are also created entirely at headquarters. Close collaboration across departments minimizes quality gaps between samples and mass-produced products. Looking ahead from development through mass production, Naigai delivers highly reproducible manufacturing in both quality and design under an integrated development system.
3. Globally stable material sourcing
Naigai sources materials for gloves from approximately 20 countries worldwide. For synthetic leather, we use high-performance materials made with the latest technology from Japan and Korea. For natural leather, we handle premium leathers from Italy, Ethiopia, and elsewhere. In Indonesia, we partner with a local tannery to secure a stable supply of leather that balances quality and cost competitiveness.
These materials are carefully selected according to use and sport. Drawing on years of accumulated numerical data and know-how, we evaluate material properties and propose the best options from both functional and design perspectives—one of Naigai’s key strengths.
4. A global production system supporting stable supply
Centered on headquarters, Naigai has established a global production network comprising our Korea office, company-owned factories in Sri Lanka and Myanmar, and partner factories in Indonesia. By assigning production according to each site’s strengths, we maintain stable mass-production capacity.
Our Sri Lanka factory focuses on products for the European market and gloves requiring advanced techniques, while our Myanmar factory handles sports categories such as golf and batting gloves. With long-standing relationships of trust, our Indonesian partner factories serve as one of Naigai’s major production bases, helping us build a reliable supply system together.
At overseas sites, headquarters staff visit regularly for quality checks and improvement guidance, minimizing gaps in understanding between headquarters and the field. This close collaboration ensures quality and supply stability even within a global production network, enabling continuous manufacturing.
5. Quality management that upholds high standards
What matters most in our quality management is faithfully reproducing each customer’s brand world without compromising their brand image. As a glove manufacturer, protecting our customers’ brand value is both Naigai’s responsibility and our pride.
At headquarters, our Quality Control Department leads the management system, while NILO (Naigai Indonesia Liaison Office) in Indonesia oversees quality checks and delivery management from samples through mass production. Under this framework, the entire Naigai Group maintains consistent quality control and keeps every product at a high standard. The quality achieved by confronting every manufacturing process with integrity and uncompromising craftsmanship is Naigai’s strength—and proof that Japanese manufacturing stands up on the world stage.
Naigai complies with international standards for quality, environment, and occupational health and safety (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001), as well as REACH, Prop65, CPSIA, and other global requirements. We also apply our own internal inspection standards to rigorously verify material functionality, safety, and durability.
Built on both material quality control and the management systems that support it, Naigai delivers high-quality products.
