MAKING THINGS｜(株)生田プリーツ

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MAKING THINGS

We keep building the skill and trust that make people say, “With Ikuta Pleats, you can’t go wrong.”

We always face our work imagining the customer beyond it — the moment someone picks up a piece in a store, the smile and confidence when they wear it. Each of those moments drives us. That is why we pursue care and beauty while staying mindful of efficiency in our daily work. Clothing has the power to lift people and brighten society, and we believe the garments and pleats we create carry that power too. This is not simply sewing on machines or folding cloth — it is giving shape to the emotion and joy beyond. Trust with our clients is just as essential. We always put our customers’ interests first and respect the intentions of designers and patternmakers, guided by the conviction that when our customers do well, so do we — and we act on it with sincerity. Looking ahead, we want to build an environment where sewing technicians and pleating artisans grow and skills pass on to the next generation — and to become a factory with the presence to draw work not only from Japan but from around the world, building the skill and trust that make people say, “With Ikuta Pleats, you can’t go wrong.”

Honest craftsmanship, carried on through the generations

Takayuki Ikuta, Representative Director & President

KEYWORD

Four keywords that connect Ikuta Pleats with creators

The Speed Star of the pleating world

Pattern Making where beauty in the

details begins

The Sewing Team beauty in every detail

An Open Factory where you meet pleats

Ikuta Pleats — the Speed Star of the pleating world

Ikuta Pleats’ strength lies in handling sewing and pleating under one roof, combined with the agility only a small factory can offer. Skilled artisans achieve beautiful handmade finishes, while we also take on rush orders and small runs — responding quickly to what customers need right now. We handle a great deal of costume pleating, and our quality is trusted for one-of-a-kind pieces used on stage and television. We also offer pleating at special rates for students producing their own work — the makers of tomorrow. Under our philosophy of supporting fashion, lifting the people who wear it, and brightening society, we continue to answer diverse needs with quality, speed, and flexibility.

Honest craftsmanship, carried on through the generations

PLEATS KINDS

Creating the pleat pattern

Cutting the fabric

Patterned pleats

Accordion pleats

Crush(crinkle) finishing

Crystal pleats

Random pleats

Side pleats

(knife pleats)

Removing the pattern paper

Cutting the fabric

Machine setup

Folding the pattern

Autoclave setting

Fabric setting & pleating

HAND PLEATS

Hand pleating

MACHINE PLEATS

Machine pleating

Removing the pleating paper

Box pleats

Creating the pleat pattern

We can create original pleat patterns from scratch to your requirements — shape, pleat size, angle, and every fine detail can be customized freely, with endless combinations. The factory also stocks many standard pleat molds you can choose from. Start by reaching out through our pleating request form.

By the Speed Star of the pleating world —

Hand pleating

Cutting the fabric

Accurate cutting is essential to beautiful pleats. If the fabric is not cut true to the grain, the pleats will not fold evenly, causing distortion and twisting. Correct cutting also prevents seam-allowance shifts during sewing, raising the quality of the finished garment. Bringing out the full depth and shadow of pleats begins with careful preparation at the cutting stage. Cutting means reading the character of the cloth — the foundation on which the artisan’s skill is built.

Folding the pattern

We choose the best paper for the fabric and the shape. Like origami, the pattern is folded by hand, one pleat at a time. Hand pleating makes possible the delicate designs and flared, three-dimensional forms that machines cannot express. This extra labor is what completes a pleat like no other.

Autoclave setting & removing the pattern

Pressure, temperature, and time are finely tuned to the pleat shape and material. Our autoclave is smaller than those at typical pleating factories — unsuited to mass production, but nimble, responding quickly to small custom runs. It is precisely because the autoclave is small that we can offer such fine-grained service and high-quality finishes.

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Machine setup

Pleat size and shape are adjusted to the millimeter, along with the machine’s speed and temperature. Every setting feeds directly into the beauty of the finish, so this step demands an artisan’s delicate touch.

Our pleating machine, installed more than 50 years ago, is still running thanks to repair after repair. It is indispensable for producing textures and expressions the latest equipment cannot quite reproduce. A machine carrying decades of history, and the handwork of skilled technicians, together support a one-of-a-kind finish.

By the Speed Star of the pleating world —

Machine pleating

Fabric setting & pleating

The fabric is sandwiched between the upper and lower papers set in the machine. Even a slight twist in the grain affects the finished pleats, so it is set with the utmost care. Inside the machine, the fabric held between the papers is folded along the template; heat and pressure then set the pleats firmly into shape.

Removing the pleating paper

After processing with heat and pressure, cooling and drying complete pleats that hold their folds semi-permanently. Peel the paper away carefully, and the beautifully folded fabric appears. Once inspected for distortion or flaws, the fabric moves on to the sewing stage.

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Pattern Making — where beauty in the details begins

One of Ikuta Pleats’ strengths is making that begins at the pattern. Beyond correcting patterns we receive, we can start from a single design sketch from the designer.

To express diverse designs, we attend seminars and workshops and turn everyday insights on the job into deeper knowledge, continually sharpening our skills.

We build sewing knowledge so we can draft patterns that sew well — growing ourselves while staying close to the designer.

— What we value

– As outside patternmakers, understanding what each client seeks and holds dear, and responding flexibly.

– Staying free of fixed ideas — sharing the client’s image as fully as possible and giving it concrete form.

— Strengths

– Finding genuine joy and fascination in drafting patterns.

– Pursuing the best, with every effort we can make.

Honest craftsmanship, carried on through the generations

Kickoff meeting

We confirm what we’ve read from the design sketches, so there’s no gap with the designer’s vision.

Even offhand remarks can reveal design intent, so we take careful notes and carry them into the toile.

Making the toile

We sew the toile cleanly so the client can read the construction easily — and with revision in mind, so changes after the toile check are simple to make.

When a client is undecided on a detail, we prepare several proposals — working together toward the garment they are imagining.

Pattern Making — where beauty in the details begins

Pattern making & grading

After the toile, we draft the pattern with the mindset of bridging designer and factory — adding detailed diagrams where needed to sharpen everyone’s understanding of the specification.

Especially when there are many sizes, we check carefully so the lines flow naturally — aiming for equally beautiful lines in every size.

Writing the spec sheet

We keep it concise so the production floor can read it at a glance, flagging the key points clearly to prevent mistakes in mass production.

The Sewing Team — beauty in every detail

One of Ikuta Pleats’ strengths is that we never stop taking on new items — we believe that mindset drives our staff’s growth. Pleats may come to mind first, but our three sewing lines handle a wide range of materials and items beyond pleated products: women’s items across the board, and men’s items as well. Whatever you bring us, we will take it on sincerely and see it through with responsibility.

— Main items

Shirts

Blouses

Dresses

— Main fabrics

Wovens (light to medium weight)

Honest craftsmanship, carried on through the generations

The Sewing Team — beauty in every detail

Samples & process sheets

Experienced senior technicians and team leaders make our samples, timing each step to inform production estimates. We are often entrusted with collection samples — and the moment a sample you worked on appears on the runway is a special one.

Cutting for production

We meet with the sewing team leader to adjust seam allowances and place notches. Checking the grain of the fabric carefully, we stack the required quantity and cut. Most materials are cut automatically using CAM; fabrics that need pattern matching, like checks, are cut manually while confirming the pattern by laser. Cutting strongly affects not only how easily a garment sews, but how beautiful the finished piece turns out — a crucial step.

Sewing & ironing

Work proceeds in three small teams. Following the process sheet drawn up by each team leader, every member plays their part in carefully finishing each garment. The sewing machine may be the star of the floor, but behind it, the iron is indispensable. Adjusting steam and pressure precisely to the fabric and seam specification takes real skill — and it makes or breaks the finish.

Finishing & packing

In finishing, we check every stain, wrinkle, and loose thread and give each piece a final inspection. We press in three dimensions to suit the fabric and construction, so the garment looks its best — a finish the wearer feels is truly beautiful.