Workman

Workman is a Japanese retailer of low cost workwear that has grown into a major seller of affordable outdoor and sportswear. Its first store opened in 1979 and it now operates more than a thousand stores across Japan, largely through franchising.

What is Workman?

Workman Co., Ltd. is a Japanese clothing retailer whose first store was opened in 1979 by Yoshio Tsuchiya. It began by selling work clothing for construction labourers and has since become one of Japan's best known sources of functional, low priced apparel.

History

In 2016 the company moved into low cost outdoor gear, and in 2018 it opened the first WORKMAN Plus store, aimed at outdoor, sports and everyday customers. Management has noted that because the clothes were originally designed for workers, they were not inferior to sportswear in functionality.

Products and positioning

Workman offers workwear, outdoor jackets, rainwear, sportswear and casual basics. Analysts have described the offer as high performance at one half to one third the cost of famous brands, with items such as a waterproof jacket priced at 3,900 yen.

Distribution

The company runs two main formats: work and active casual stores, which include workwear, and comfortable everyday basic casual stores in shopping centres without workwear. Together they number over 1,100 locations, and the company actively recruits franchise owners to operate stores.

Why it matters

Workman shows how a specialist with deep functional know how can enter the mass casual market by repositioning existing products for new customers, competing on price and performance rather than on brand image.

Frequently asked questions

What is Workman in Japan?

Workman is a Japanese retailer of low cost workwear that also sells affordable outdoor and sportswear through formats such as WORKMAN Plus.

Who founded Workman?

Workman's first store was opened in 1979 by Yoshio Tsuchiya.

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