Participation in the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commemorative Project
Izawa Towel Co., Ltd. has been directly commissioned by Amazon.com to manufacture original beach towels for the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026. This marks the first time a Japanese towel company has secured a direct 1P vendor contract with Amazon.com's U.S. headquarters for this product category, highlighting the company's global manufacturing standards.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 7, 2026 at 19:10
- 🔍 Collected: April 7, 2026 at 10:30
Izawa Towel Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President: Masashi Izawa; hereinafter "the Company") has received a direct order from Amazon.com, Inc. (Headquarters: Seattle, USA; hereinafter "Amazon.com") to manufacture original beach towels commemorating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States in 2026.
This direct order for beach towels from Amazon.com's U.S. headquarters (a transaction as a 1P vendor*1) marks the first such instance for a Japanese towel company*2.
The Company’s high technical capabilities, quality control systems, and supply track record, cultivated through its own brand "Towel Laboratory" (Towel Kenkyujo) in Japan, were highly evaluated, leading to the Company being entrusted with the supply of commemorative products to mark this historic milestone in the world's largest consumer market.
### ■ Significance of the U.S. 250th Anniversary Project and Direct Appointment
This project was planned against the backdrop of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States in 2026.
As an official sponsor, Amazon.com is developing commemorative products under strict brand management.
In this instance, the Company was directly appointed by the central purchasing team of Amazon.com's core retail division and is currently accelerating the production of tens of thousands of commemorative beach towels. These towels are scheduled to be widely distributed, primarily within the United States.
In recent years, the selection criteria for direct-sale suppliers (1P vendors) by Amazon.com's U.S. headquarters have become increasingly stringent, with high standards set for quality, supply chain resilience, and more. The fact that the Company was selected in the "beach towel" category—a major consumer market in the U.S.—is recognized as proof that our manufacturing and supply capabilities meet global standard requirements.
### ■ Features Meeting U.S. Market Needs
The beach towel market is a massive industry, estimated to be worth approximately 30 to 40 billion yen in the U.S. alone*3. In the U.S., it is common to use towels by laying them directly on the beach, which requires a scale and functionality different from Japanese standards.
The Company is manufacturing these towels with the following specifications, optimized for this specific U.S. usage scenario:
Extra-large size: An extra-large size (approx. 90 x 178 cm / approx. 35 x 70 in) that wraps around the entire body and provides ample space for an adult to lie down.
Reduced sand adhesion: Special processing on the reverse side and increased surface smoothness ensure that sand can be easily shaken off at the beach.
### ■ Future Outlook
This project is an important step toward the Company's goal of "creating a global standard for towels."
The success of our own brand, "Towel Laboratory," on Amazon.co.jp in Japan has attracted significant attention from Amazon.com's U.S. headquarters. Using this initiative as a foothold, we will accelerate the expansion of our towel sales in the United States. Moving forward, we will continue to fuse the manufacturing technology cultivated in Japan with global market needs to further advance our business as a top player in the global market.
*1 What is a 1P vendor: This indicates a transaction based on direct orders and purchases from the central purchasing team of Amazon.com's retail division, which is the core business of Amazon.com, rather than selling as a marketplace seller.
*2 Based on internal research (as of March 2026).
*3 Estimates based on data from external research organizations, etc. / Calculated at 1 USD = 159.06 JPY.
### ■ Company Overview
Company Name: Izawa Towel Co., Ltd.
Representative: Masashi Izawa, President
Location: 1-26-6 Ebisu-Nishi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Business Description: Planning, manufacturing, import/export, and sales of towel products, etc.
Official Website: https://www.izawa-towel.com/
This direct order for beach towels from Amazon.com's U.S. headquarters (a transaction as a 1P vendor*1) marks the first such instance for a Japanese towel company*2.
The Company’s high technical capabilities, quality control systems, and supply track record, cultivated through its own brand "Towel Laboratory" (Towel Kenkyujo) in Japan, were highly evaluated, leading to the Company being entrusted with the supply of commemorative products to mark this historic milestone in the world's largest consumer market.
### ■ Significance of the U.S. 250th Anniversary Project and Direct Appointment
This project was planned against the backdrop of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States in 2026.
As an official sponsor, Amazon.com is developing commemorative products under strict brand management.
In this instance, the Company was directly appointed by the central purchasing team of Amazon.com's core retail division and is currently accelerating the production of tens of thousands of commemorative beach towels. These towels are scheduled to be widely distributed, primarily within the United States.
In recent years, the selection criteria for direct-sale suppliers (1P vendors) by Amazon.com's U.S. headquarters have become increasingly stringent, with high standards set for quality, supply chain resilience, and more. The fact that the Company was selected in the "beach towel" category—a major consumer market in the U.S.—is recognized as proof that our manufacturing and supply capabilities meet global standard requirements.
### ■ Features Meeting U.S. Market Needs
The beach towel market is a massive industry, estimated to be worth approximately 30 to 40 billion yen in the U.S. alone*3. In the U.S., it is common to use towels by laying them directly on the beach, which requires a scale and functionality different from Japanese standards.
The Company is manufacturing these towels with the following specifications, optimized for this specific U.S. usage scenario:
Extra-large size: An extra-large size (approx. 90 x 178 cm / approx. 35 x 70 in) that wraps around the entire body and provides ample space for an adult to lie down.
Reduced sand adhesion: Special processing on the reverse side and increased surface smoothness ensure that sand can be easily shaken off at the beach.
### ■ Future Outlook
This project is an important step toward the Company's goal of "creating a global standard for towels."
The success of our own brand, "Towel Laboratory," on Amazon.co.jp in Japan has attracted significant attention from Amazon.com's U.S. headquarters. Using this initiative as a foothold, we will accelerate the expansion of our towel sales in the United States. Moving forward, we will continue to fuse the manufacturing technology cultivated in Japan with global market needs to further advance our business as a top player in the global market.
*1 What is a 1P vendor: This indicates a transaction based on direct orders and purchases from the central purchasing team of Amazon.com's retail division, which is the core business of Amazon.com, rather than selling as a marketplace seller.
*2 Based on internal research (as of March 2026).
*3 Estimates based on data from external research organizations, etc. / Calculated at 1 USD = 159.06 JPY.
### ■ Company Overview
Company Name: Izawa Towel Co., Ltd.
Representative: Masashi Izawa, President
Location: 1-26-6 Ebisu-Nishi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Business Description: Planning, manufacturing, import/export, and sales of towel products, etc.
Official Website: https://www.izawa-towel.com/