O-CHI INC.
Turning challenges into strengths
When Tsubasa Akao founded his company in 2017, he realised a vision that had developed over several years. He was going to start an original clothing brand: O-CHI INC. (pronounced ouchy). The dream is still alive and well, but his story has taken some unexpected turns on the way.
"To build a brand from scratch, you have to look into every detail of the production chain, ensuring that all the pieces of the puzzle fit. One aspect of this meant working closely with my suppliers in China," Tsubasa recounts. This fact led to him seeing, first-hand, the initial rise and spread of COVID-19 – and an early realisation of what the ramifications would be also in Japan.
Besides predicting potential supply-chain issues with China, he also anticipated a rising demand for a completely different product. So, in the first months of 2020 – under the maxim "Protecting your family" – O-CHI INC. refocused part of the production to manufacture face masks.
Need more inspiration? Take a look where O-CHI started from
Turning an office and a showroom into one
"In all this, I still had my clothing line to worry about. While the need for administration grew, so did the need for a space to welcome customers," Tsubasa continues. "And with everything going on, relocating to a bigger place wasn't an option."
The solution? A combination of both, letting the office and showroom become one shared space. "Turning to IKEA and their interior design service was key in making it all work. Since this coincided with a period of intense mask production, I was relieved to put the transformation of the office in safe hands."
Room for new, inspired plans
"Looking at the result, I know it was the right choice. Together, we managed to create a place where both our co-workers and customers thrive – and we did it right during our most hectic period so far. Now I can walk around here, and make plans for what's next in store for O-CHI INC."
