Supporting Family Smiles: The Craftsmanship of "Birthday"—The Future of Children's Clothing Envisioned by Shimamura Group

SHIMAMURA Co., Ltd. runs the specialty store for baby and children's products called Birthday. Since the launch of the business in 2000, they have continuously developed products tailored to families raising children.

From materials, safety, and functionality to price and design—they approach all aspects earnestly, aiming to bring color and comfort to the everyday lives of parents and children. In recent years, the company has featured collaborations with influencers and introduced efforts to address ethical consumption, responding to the changing times and consumer voices.

This time, we interviewed a representative from the Birthday advertising and PR department (hereafter, “the representative”) to learn about how Birthday was born and what values shape the brand’s philosophy.

Birthday Born on the Axis of High Sensitivity, High Quality, & High Functionality

Shimamura was founded in 1953 in Ogawa Town, Saitama Prefecture, when a local kimono shop restructured its individual business into a corporation and became "Shimamura Drapery Store Co." Today, with roughly 2,200 stores in Japan and overseas—spearheaded by Fashion Center Shimamura—the company fulfills a role as social infrastructure, ensuring a steady supply of essential clothing items.

It was in 2000 that the company launched the Birthday business. The representative elaborates on the concept:

"As a specialty shop for baby and kids’ products that meets a wide range of situations, from childbirth and childcare to elementary school, we offer an extensive product lineup. Focused on ‘high sensitivity, high quality, and high functionality,’ we deal not only in clothing, but also in miscellaneous goods and childcare items.

"We strive to create products that are 'safe, secure, and comfortable' for both children and their families. Additionally, in recent years, we have placed greater emphasis on ethical perspectives, considering environmentally friendly materials and the backgrounds of our production processes."

Compared to Shimamura’s baby and kids’ brands—which mainly offer cost-effective, everyday-use products—Birthday provides a diverse range of more specialized, highly functional items, as well as collaboration products, further refining their target audiences.

Endless Trial & Error to Exceed Customer Expectations

Each new Birthday product release sparks a buzz, especially on social media, but how are these products developed? According to the representative, it comes down to a careful balance between material selection, functionality, and price.

"We focus on safe and gentle materials for children’s skin, ensure functionality that combines ease of wear and movement with easy washing, and work to offer quality products at accessible prices.

"In baby and children’s apparel in particular, ‘safety and security’ are always the top priorities. We aim to create products that parents can choose with peace of mind."

As the representative notes, “Our wealth of collaboration products and the breadth of our lineups are major strengths.” In addition to original products, Birthday widely offers collaborations with influencers and popular brands.

Why did collaborations with influencers begin, and what is the process of bringing such products to market?

"We began involving influencers in product development to better reflect the real lifestyles of families raising children and to capture the genuine needs of mothers. Furthermore, by sharing these products on social media, we can communicate features and styling ideas clearly, gathering widespread empathy.

"When developing a product, we brainstorm ideas that align both with customer needs and our company’s direction, then launch the concept. We work together with influencers to discuss designs and select materials, produce prototypes, exchange opinions for repeated refinement, and only after confirming the final design and functionality do we launch the product."

"Striking a balance between 'making detailed adjustments to achieve quality that exceeds customer expectations' and 'production costs' isn't easy. However, by maximizing both domestic and international production backgrounds, and achieving low-cost operations, we are able to offer high-quality products while keeping costs down.

"In addition, by utilizing the unique distribution network and partnerships of the Shimamura Group, we've built an efficient system from production to sales, minimizing waste."

Shifting to a Business that Closely Supports Both "Experiences" & "Moments"

Birthday, a brand significantly impacted by real feedback from parents in their product development, has witnessed notable shifts recently in the purchasing habits for baby and children's clothing.

"We have seen a noticeable rise in purchases made through social media and online stores, and attention to seasonal campaigns is increasing every year. Sometimes, after we introduce our products on social media, the response is so enthusiastic that the items sell out almost instantly, which gives us a big boost in motivation. We’ve also noticed more customers are paying attention to sustainable materials and ethical consumption.

"Another key strength is our ability to reflect authentic parents’ voices—gathered via social media—into our products. We use the trends in design and material requests as references to spark ideas for new items."

Finally, we asked about Birthday’s future plans.

"Moving forward, we aim to roll out products that cater to a wider range of lifestyles, such as 'unisex items' and 'items suited for special events.' By boosting product lines that support both memorable 'moments' and 'experiences' while also continuing to expand our online presence, we hope to bring even more people the appeal of Birthday. We want to remain a business that supports the smiles of children and their families."

"A business that continues to support the smiles of children and their families"—In keeping with these words, Birthday will continue to evolve while staying close to the precious present moments of children.