Business Leather BLAND
which creates employment in Bangladesh

Business Leather Factory
Brand Manager
Otsuka Yuko

Business Leather
Factory

About Business Leather Factory

  • 4 company stores located in Tokyo, Fukuoka, Osaka and Kanagawa
  • Pop-up stores opened in Haneda Airport, Narita Airport and the department stores Odakyu and Marui
  • Directly employs over 350 people in our Bangladesh factory
  • Awarded ‘Shop of the Year 2015’ by Rakuten

HISTORY

2014.01

Established the real leather business item brand "Business Leather Factory"

2014.03

Began sales via e-commerce

2014.05

Ranked #1 in the business "card cases category" on Rakuten website

2014.07

Moved the factory to the new location to expand the business

Moved our factory in Bangladesh to a larger facility to expand the business

2014.12

Pop-up store in the department store AMU EST Hakata records our greatest sales yet

2014.12

The number of employees exceeded 120 person in Bangladesh

Number of people employed by our Bangladesh factory increases to over 120

2015.01

Made the largest sales record as a temporary shop at Fukuoka airport

Pop-up store in Fukuoka Airport records our greatest sales yet

2015.07

Pop-up store in Hiroshima Airport records our greatest sales yet

2015.08

Pop-up store in Takamatsu Airport records our greatest sales yet

2015.06

Opened the first official shop at Tenjin under ground shopping center, Fukuoka city

Our first official store opens in Tenjin Underground Shopping Arcade, Fukuoka

2015.10
2015.10

The number of employees exceeded 300 person in Bangladesh factory

Number of people employed by our Bangladesh factory soars to over 300

SOCIAL IMPACT

The Number of Craftsmen Producing Business Leather Items
in the Bangladesh Factory

SOCIAL BUSINESS

Creating a new demand for business goods

High quality leather business accessories at low prices

By offering real leather goods at the same price as artificial leather products, we have succeeded in creating a new demand for leather products amongst those who have always wanted to own a rea leather item, but were never able to afford the high price-tag.Focusing on the business scene, we have created a unique brand distinct from our competitors,honing in on the idea of sets of business items we offer our customers a complete set of colour coordinated business accessories. Accessories that give you that extra edge on the job, buy one and you just can’t help yourself from wanting to buy the whole set. An unlikely concept with a high level of quality that far exceeds the price; our branded has built up an ever-growing base of repeat customers.

Providing high quality business leather items with very reasonable prices

Why we started the business

Creating employment opportunities through a new brand

In 2011 we met Faruk Hossain, and with the goal of resolving poverty in Bangladesh we started an order-made business under the brand ‘JOGGO’. We set up a training room in the factory and put great efforts towards educating our staff, teaching our employees the necessary skills for the job from scratch. We paid our employees regular wages during the training period, and put much thought into creating an environment that felt rewarding for our workers. Hearing the stories of our factory, the numbers of acquaintances of our workers and workers from nearby factory who wanted to work at our factory began to rise.

However, for us to be able to employ this many people under just one brand would be a length process. Thus, to ensure we could create more and more employment as soon as possible, we launched our new brand ‘Business Leather Factory’. Through filling the gap in the market for a real leather brand focused solely on business, we aim to further create opportunities for employment.

Where Did the Idea of BLF Come From?

Bringing Employment to Bangladesh

Prioritising women and the inexperienced

With a population of 150 million squeezed into a narrow landmass around a quarter of the size of Japan, Bangladesh is one of the most poverty stricken nations in Asia. A scarcity of land combined with severe overpopulation has led to an unemployment rate of 18.5%. Many people find themselves in situations where they must work very hard to earn money, not only to support their own family, but also to support their parents and siblings. We are focused on the factory production of leather goods as means of creating opportunities for employment in Bangladesh in order to raise the living standards of these people. Once a year, there is a religious festival in Bangladesh where beef is sold and consumed in large quantities. However, the hides of the cows left behind go unused and are often thrown away. By using these hides in the production of leather goods at our factory, we are able to both more efficiently use these resources whilst at the same time creating jobs for the people.

Our factory prioritises the employment of those from poor backgrounds who have to support their family and relatives and those who struggle to find employment at other factories such as the inexperienced and those who are likely to meet with discrimination on the job such as women.

Establishing leather items factory, to make more employment for poor people

Our Project Leader’s Ideal Society

Providing sufficient housing and public facilities through the establishment of a ‘Borderless Village’

Providing sufficient housing and public facilities through the establishment of a ‘Borderless Village’

In addition, there are still many places in the world such as Argentine in South America and Ethiopia in Africa where people do not utilize cowhide as local resource while they consume cow as much as Bangladeshi people do. In these areas, if we could establish a factory with the high quality production Technics, we would be able to create large employment. We believe that it is our mission to improve the lives of Bangladeshi people as soon as possible, and duplicate this social model all over the world.

The Ideal Society the Leader Aims to Create
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事業開発職・店舗スタッフの採用情報
事業開発職・店舗スタッフの採用情報