An interview article with President Nakamura was featured in Newsweek International magazine’s special feature “Japan’s manufacturers ready to seize moment.” (Delivered on November 24, 2023)

He introduces Naxis’ efforts to address sustainability issues in the apparel industry and our main product, RAIN RFID (UHF RFID). 

NAXIS: Pioneering sustainable innovation in apparel

Founded in 1897, Naxis is a leading apparel auxiliary material manufacturer committed to innovating solutions that promote greater sustainability in the sector, including cutting-edge RFID “Sustainability is more than just eco-friendly products. It demands a holistic approach, and by reducing overproduction, we significantly impact the industry.” 

Taiho Nakamura, President, NAXIS Co., Ltd.

As it is across the entire global economy, sustainability is today one of the major challenges facing the apparel sector. It is estimated that about 10,000 clothing items go into landfills every five minutes due to the modern fast fashion trend. Japanese manufacturers such as Naxis are at the forefront of industry innovation aimed at improving sustainability in this field, pioneering environmentally friendly materials such as the Econax-cello, a packaging material made from wood pulp-derived viscose as an alternative to petroleum-based films.

“We develop, manufacture, and sell eco-friendly products, but we recognize that we have only just scratched the surface of addressing sustainability,” says Taiho Nakamura , CEO of Naxis, which has been an apparel auxiliary material manufacturer for over 125 years.

“The essence of sustainability involves more than simply offering environmentally friendly products. What we are focusing on as the essence of sustainability is how we can contribute to solving the problems of excessive production and excess inventory in the apparel industry. Traditionally, lead times in this field have been quite long, with manufacturers producing numerous items and keeping them in stock without a clear understanding of actual demand or future trends.”

The company’s RAIN RFID (UHF RFID) solution, which was launched in 2005, is now one of Naxis’ major products and provides an effective way to prevent such problems of excess endemic in the apparel sector, today producing more than one billion RAIN RFID tags a year.

“By introducing RAIN RFID solution and using it correctly, manufacturers are able to understand inventory status in real-time. Furthermore, by properly managing inventory, you can increase the accuracy of demand forecasts and more realistically grasp the amount of inventory needed in the future,” explains Mr. Nakamura. 

Besides its RAIN RFID solution, Naxis – which globally delivers labels and packages from seven production sites and employs 2,000 people across Asia – has also developed its proprietary Naxis Relational Database (NRD), a web order placement system for auxiliary materials. Its Implant Naxis Platform (iNAP) additionally provides clients with an in-plant printing system. 

“In the traditional business model, we would create tags and products after receiving orders and then deliver them to our customers. By using NRD and iNAP, we can install tag printing machinery within our clients’ factories,” says Mr. Nakamura. “Orders are still processed through NRD, but the actual production takes place on-site. To ensure top-quality results, we carefully select materials and configure the machinery to operate in multiple languages to suit different regions. This allows us to provide a comprehensive software solution service while maintaining consistent quality. Our initial focus for this project is centered around the ASEAN region, and this direction aligns with our commitment to contributing to the reduction of excess production by making lead times shorter within the industry.”

The RFID technology which Naxis specializes in is a form of wireless communication that incorporates the use of electromagnetic couplings and allows the unique identification of objects, people and even animals. The technology has seen rapid growth in recent times, however some of the challenges it faces include reader collision where one tag from an RFID can interfere with another. Furthermore, materials like metal can impact the signal, and sometimes they are not as accurate as bar codes. Naxis is one of many industry innovators working to overcome these challenges.

“Recognizing our customers’ thinking on the matter, we are actively working to enhance their understanding of the limitations and technical constraints associated with RAIN RFIDs,” says Mr. Nakamura. “We believe it is crucial to consider the incorporation of barcodes and QR codes alongside RAIN RFID technology to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each combination and choose the most suitable option. RAIN RFID can either replace or complement barcodes. Essentially, any products with barcodes can use RAIN RFID. Our primary focus now is on the widespread integration of RAIN RFID tags into various items.”

This technology’s current phase is reminiscent of the early days of the Internet, particularly in Japan in 1995 when households first began adopting computers and connecting to the Internet. Back then, while people had internet access, they were not entirely sure how to make the most of it. It was only as internet usage spread globally that new services like Yahoo, Google, Facebook, and others emerged. 

“We see our current endeavor as comparable to these early stages of internet adoption,” says Mr. Nakamura. “By spreading RAIN RFID tags into a wide range of products, we are creating an interconnected environment. This network of RAIN RFID tags will serve as a foundation, and we are actively preparing the stage for new players who specialize in software to identify and leverage the potential of this established RAIN RFID tag network. Our role is to create this essential network and await the entrance of innovative industry players who will further develop systems based on it.”

We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your loyal patronage

In order to strengthen our sales business and improve work efficiency, we relocated our head office from the current location,
Kyoto city, Kyoto to Shibuya-ku, Tokyo on April 1^st, 2021.

In addition to relocation of our head office, we changed the name of IOT CENTER to “RFID LABO”.
The address will not be changed.

We would like to take this opportunity to work harder on our business and achieve your expectations.
Your kind continuous support will be much appreciated.


NAXIS group CEO
Taiho Nakamura

■New Address
3-2-2, Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo,151-0051, Japan（Google Map）
TEL：03-5785-1122／FAX：03-5785-1112

■Office starting date
From April 1^st, 2021

Thank you for your continued business.

At Naxis Co., Ltd., on July 31, 2020, Shigeyuki Nakamura retired from the position of chairman and president.
At the same time, I would like to inform you that, on August 1, 2020, Taiho Nakamura was appointed as NAXIS group CEO.

Since the company was founded in 1897, we have continued to expand our business and take on challenges
as the apparel auxiliary material manufacturer for more than 120 years.
In the “new normal” circumstance, our mission is to support the prosperity of our customers and
all of our affiliates and co-create the future.

Under the new organization of which I, Taiho Nakamura, is the president,
we will accelerate corporate activities and business expansion and aim for further growth together with customers.

We look forward to your continued support.

NAXIS group CEO
Taiho Nakamura

Naxis company limited (Kyoto headquarters, Tokyo, IoT center, Osaka and Nagoya) has recommended remote work for our employees to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
We deeply apologize to our business partners and associates for any inconvenience this may cause you. We appreciate your support and understanding.

Corresponding period: From March 30, 2020
We will consider the period depending on the situation based on guidance received from the government authorities.

During this period, because the number of employees at each office is limited, there may be times where we will not be able to correspond to telephone calls. We would appreciate if you directly email or make a mobile phone call to your contact person of our company when you need any assistance. If you are not sure who is in charge, please contact us through “CONTACT US” on our website. Video conferencing system is available for meeting, so please feel free to contact us.

With the safety and security of customers, employees, and other stakeholders as our top priority, we will respond flexibly depending on the situation.

We would like to convey our deepest sympathy to those affected with COVID-19 virus along with our sincere wishes for the earliest recovery. We hope that normal conditions are restored as soon as possible.

Human Resources & General Affairs Division
NAXIS Company Limited
Phone: +81 75-841-2612
Fax: +81 75-812-5643
Operation hours: 9:00-18:00 (closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays)

NAXIS VIETNAM expanded Dong Nai Factory in AMATA industrial park where located close to Ho chi minh, and started operation on  August, 20th 2018.
To meet customers’ need, we made this new factory double productivity compared to the past.
We keep making effort to deliver our products reliably and efficiently.

About  NAXIS VIETNAM DONG NAI FACTORY

NAME　　： NAXIS VIETNAM CO.、LTD.　DONG NAI FACTORY

ADRESS　　： Lot 505, Road 13, AMATA Industrial Park, Long Binh Ward, Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai ProVince, Vietnam

TEL：+84-251-8877-196／FAX：+84-251-8877-199

OPERATION START DAY 　： August 20^th 2018
GROSS AREA ： 4600㎡
SITE AREA ： 3010㎡
Managing Director :　 Hiroyuki TAKENO

Our returnable box, “EcoBizBox” is used not only apparel industry but also food industry.
We just made new promotional video which introduce practical use at Din Tai Fung JAPAN, world famous restaurant.
Please check the promotional video below 【Ecobizbox × Din Tai Fung】!!

We awarded GreenPartnership Accolade with ADASTRIA Co., Ltd, ADASTRIA LOGISTICS and TOSHIBA TEC CORPORATION for an RFID verification test of ADASTRIA Co., Ltd.
This award honors companies who contributed to the reduction of environmental burden and the improvement of productivity of logistics.

We annouce that new Makers’ Base, FabSpace, will open on 25th Nov. in Chiba.
It will be located on Level 3 of department store named JUNNE.

Makers’ Base Chiba has 120m² of space and offers not only manufacturing equipments, but also trainng programs, fabrication classes and order-made service.
We hope lots of people who even have no experience of fabrication will be able to enjoy creative activities.

【Where is the Makers’ Base Chiba?】
Level 3, JUNNE, SOGO Chiba, 1001 Shinmachi, Chuo-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, JAPAN, 260-8557
TEL：+81(0)43-441-3300　　trading hour : 10:00〜20:00

At IFF Magic held from September 26 to September 28, NAXIS gave a lecture at the RFID seminar as well as being an exhibitor.
As one of the RFID leading companies, we have been introducing examples and tips to help RFID introduction not only at seminar like this time but also through the media such as newspapers and magazines.
We welcome your inquiry about RFID things, please contact us from the inquiry page on our website!

IFF Magic, one of the biggest fasion business exhibition in Japan, is held from 26th Sep to 28th Sep.
We, Naxis is having an exhibition stall in the RFID solution Area. (level4, West hall)
We are going to introduce our RFID solution, and have RFID seminor everyday.
Entry is free (advance registration is required), so just check the detail below and please visit us!

IFF Magic 2017 Autumn
Date: September 26th(Tue) to September 28th(Thu) 10:00-18:00 ※Close 17:00 on the last day
Place: Tokyo Big Sight West Hall : How to get there
Entry: Free with advance registratsion (or 1000Yen) : Register here