It all started with a single phone call.
Kodaka Meriyasu Industrial Ltd. was founded in 1948, and since then we have been playing a major role in the traditional local industry of knitted fabrics in Sumida, Tokyo.Our expertise cultivated in a factory specializing in rib knitting over 70 years has contributed significantly to the community.
One day, we received a call from Aomori.
It was from a zori slippers craftsman asking if he could have fabric remnants.
As a token of appreciation for offering a discount on the offcuts, we received a pair of zori slippers made of them.
The moment we put them on, we could hardly express how deeply moved we were, and we started feeling that we should share this product with the world.
This is how the first zori slippers, “Meriyasu Zori”, were created.
And, this was the beginning of MERI.
Long-standing Study and Development
We thoroughly put our heart into every detail, from the material of the yarn to the part tying the straps and soles together.
How comfortable they are to wear, which design reduces stress on the feet, and how we make them so that you'll want to put them on longer.
With those aspirations in mind, we had continued our research with zori slippers craftsmen in Aomori, and we finally completed the current MERI after over a year of refinements.
We have developed the original manufacturing method and the material with the wisdom and the pride as a rib knit factory having a 70-year history.
“Zori” is Japanese traditional footwear made of rush grass and has been used for centuries.In Northern Japan, they make it with fabric instead of rush grass, and it is loved by locals as “cloth zori."
We will do a lot of research so that everyone can enjoy wearing zori slippers even today regardless of age, gender, or nationality while inheriting the Japanese tradition.
