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About Us
The History of Zanter
About 70 years ago, during the aftermath of the war, Japan was still under military occupation.
Just as the country was beginning to carve out a recovery for itself,
the first Japanese down wear was born.
The name of the brand was Zanter.
It was inspired by mountain climbers (mountaineers).
founded as the Down Wear Team of the company which currently known as Toyo Feather Industry, Co., Ltd., becoming the first domestic company to develop cold weather down gear for mountain climbing as well as down sleeping bags.
it’s named with a fierce spirit, one that bespoke the desire to create light, warm, and genuine mountaineering gear by Japanese hands, with the time when a few people could have the luxury of enjoying such a leisure in that era.
In 1956, we’ve been starting to supply Down Wear to Japan’s Antarctic Research Expedition team and others too.
Time passed, and nowadays people wear down jacket in a town as well as during outdoors excursions.
We Zanter keep providing products with warmth and joy during even in the cold winter seasons in the world.
Corporate Profile
ZANTER Co.,Ltd.
〒153-0042
4-7-1 Aobadai, Plateau Veil 4F, Meguro Ward, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3-3465-8808 Fax: +81-3-3465-5130
〒242-0001
2782 Shimotsuruma, Yamato City, Kanagawa Prefecture 242-0001
Tel: +81-46-275-0093 Fax: +81-46-275-3182
Founded
March 1, 1973
Capital
10,000,000 yen
Number of Employees
16
Representative
Kazuyuki Noga, Representative Director
Bank
Mizuho Bank, Setagaya Branch
Business Areas
Planning, manufacture, sale, and OEM production of down wear
(clothing that uses feathers to guard against the cold)
Manufacture and sale of feather-based products and textile products
Major Clients
160 domestic apparel manufacturers and 12 domestic trading companies
※As of 2018
1951
Founded as the Wear Department (Zanter Department) of the company currently known as Toyo Feather Industry, Co., Ltd.It developed the first down clothing and down sleeping bags for mountain climbing in Japan and conducted joint research with the Japanese Alpine Team “Manaslu” expedition
1953
Supplied down clothing and sleeping bags to the first Manaslu expedition
1956
Provided down equipment for the first Antarctic Research Expedition.Continues to support polar region research activities to this days.The same team became the first in the world to reach the summit. The technology behind the gear was demonstrated in the harsh cold of Manaslu in the Himalayas.The company has provided down equipment for the many Japanese expeditions traveling abroad amidst the mountain climbing boom that started around this time.
1970
Supplied down gear to the Japan Everest Skiing Expedition .
Supplied down clothing and sleeping bags to the Japanese Alpine Club’s Everest expedition.
1971
Supplied down clothing and sleeping bags to the Tokyo University Nepal expedition
1973
The Wear Department at Toyo Feather Industry, Co., Ltd. is spun off into its own company, Zanter Co., Ltd.
1978
Supplied down gear to the Nihon University North Pole expedition, the first Japanese people to successfully reach the North Pole, and Naomi Uemura, who successfully reached the North Pole solo.
1981
Start the new brands LAPLUMA, as ladies’ line; OLNIS, as men’s line; and POLEWARDS, as outdoor sports line.
1982
Joined the Japan Down Product Association at its launch as a member of the Down & Feather Quality Standards Committee
1987
Start the new brands PLUMADAM, as ladies’ high-class line, and FEZAN, as lounge wear and underwear line
1997
Partnered with a subcontract factory in Dalian, China and made it into an OEM base for other brands (brand manufacturing for other parties)
2012
Provided support for the continuing efforts of North Pole explorer Mr.Yasunaga Ogita, who aims to become the first Japanese person to make a solo trek to the North Pole on foot without external assistance. As part of our 40th Anniversary Plan, we overhauled the POLEWARDS brand’s Polaris products.
2013
Added the ALPINE line to the POLEWARDS brand
2014
Start new brand and outdoor fashion line, ZANTER JAPAN, modified the background of workwear for Antarctic Research Expredition.
2016
60 years Anniversary since the Japanese Alpine Team first time reaching the “Manaslu” summit
2018
Yasunaga Ogita, one of the explorers Zanter supports, succeeded in becoming the first Japanese person to successfully reach the South Pole alone on foot without external support
Start new brand, COLOBANTHUS QUITENSIS
2019
We will continue producing high-quality down and down wear that excels in both function and fashion and helping to provide an active winter experience.
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