A member of the Manufacturing Team who works across inspection and production processes. She handles roll-shaping of the inner cotton in three-layer shikibuton, inspection & correction of multi-head quilting machine semi-finished pieces, the cotton-filling and mouth-stitching of comforters and pillows, and final product inspection. Her previous job was footwear sewing, so she is familiar with sewing machines.
The processes I work
My daily work includes shaping the inner cotton of three-layer shikibuton, inspecting and correcting quilted pieces, filling and closing comforters and pillows, and carrying out final product inspection. I continue to build proficiency across this whole line.
My previous job was footwear sewing
I used to do footwear sewing — so operating a sewing machine was not entirely unfamiliar when I came to the workshop. But bedding and footwear are two different worlds: bedding is larger, demands higher evenness, and uses a far wider range of fabrics. Under my seniors’ guidance I adapt to these differences every day.
“From the customer’s standpoint”
Small stains or rough stitching are easy to overlook in mass production — “you’d want to let it pass,” but I deliberately remind myself: stand in the place of the customer who buys this one. For the customer this is not a cheap purchase but something to look forward to — so those small details cannot be let go.
“May you have good dreams”
Every shikibuton the workshop makes is carefully made by colleagues, one by one — I hope the customer who receives it sleeps a little better for it. “If I can be of even a little help to everyone’s sleep, I would be glad. May you have good dreams” — that is what I want to say to every one.