The Goldwin Tech Lab, our research and development center, is located within Goldwin’s head office in Oyabe City, Toyama Prefecture—the city where the company was founded. The lab promotes advanced monozukuri (the art of making things) and has been led by Soichi Hirayama since 2023. Before his appointment, he worked in sales roles for many years before transitioning to planning for C3fit, our highly successful, high-performance sports tights. What does Hirayama—someone intimately familiar with the “downstream” of sports apparel—envision for the “upstream” Tech Lab? Through this interview, we share why Toyama is the ideal location for our R&D base driving the future of our sports and outdoor apparel.
Developing Trusty Gear with Athletes
The moment you step into the Goldwin Tech Lab, you are greeted by various items on display as if you were in a museum. The collection includes the uniform worn by Japan’s volleyball team at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, ski wear created through technological partnerships with Fusalp and Ellesse in the 1970s, the THE NORTH FACE jacket worn by Yuichiro Miura when he summited Everest at the age of 75, and the canterbury jersey that supported the success of Japan’s national team at the 2023 Rugby World Cup™. Each of these items embodies our history and technology.
“To create the jersey for the Japanese national rugby team, we conducted 3D body scans of nearly 100 athletes, developed the fabric with a fiber manufacturer, and sewed the jersey ourselves. We can handle everything in-house, from planning to developing materials, sewing, and testing. This gives us a competitive edge.” (Hirayama)
In addition to the 3D body scanner, the Tech Lab is equipped with various other facilities, such as an artificial weather room, a rain testing room, and a motion capture system. The artificial weather room can simulate a wide range of environmental conditions to test athletes’ performance limits, including extreme temperatures ranging from −30 to +40°C and oxygen levels equivalent to the summit of Mt. Fuji. The lab also has a sewing sample room for experiments, allowing gathered research data to be applied to real products.
For example, each rugby position has different playing characteristics, and players’ body types and performance vary accordingly. To maximize each player’s performance, we developed different jersey shapes and fabrics for each position based on test data from both the lab and the field. We also worked with elite trail runners to develop backpacks and apparel. Kojiro Shiraishi, a sailor, is among the top athletes who visit the Tech Lab to develop apparel for maritime expeditions in extreme conditions.
“In an experiment with Mr. Shiraishi, we created an environment in the artificial weather room with a temperature of 40°C and other realistic conditions. In this environment, he practiced ropework while being splashed with water. Mr. Shiraishi said, ‘I’m glad that I was able to learn my limits in a safe environment.’ His words made me realize that our experiments at the Tech Lab help keep sailors safe during solo ocean voyages.” (Hirayama)
Insights gained from developing critical gear for athletes are directly applied to our products. The trust we build with partner athletes over time directly translates to trust in our products.
Monozukuri Practices Rooted in Hokuriku
The Tech Lab was established in 2017. Although we had been conducting R&D for some time, we wanted to make the process visible to internal and external parties. That’s why we consolidated our R&D functions into one location.
“For average body types, we can simply buy existing data and develop products based on it. For Japan’s national rugby team, we gather body measurement data using the facilities at the Tech Lab. We use a body-hugging pattern that is hard to grip and tear-resistant thread that withstands pulling. These features optimize performance. The Goldwin Tech Lab makes this process visible both internally and externally.” (Hirayama)
Another advantage of the lab is that it is located in Toyama Prefecture, where the company was founded. The Hokuriku region, including Toyama Prefecture, is home to a cluster of fiber companies with well-established advanced technologies. “I was talking to the president of a foreign startup developing waterproof breathable fabric that’s environmentally friendly. He said that when he was searching for the ideal fabric, he discovered the Hokuriku region in Japan,” says Hirayama. World-class technologies for knit fabrics, synthetic woven fabrics, and water-repellent finishes are concentrated within a 30-minute drive of the Tech Lab. Thanks to this convenient location, the team can work closely with fiber companies in Toyama Prefecture, enabling quick prototyping and refinement with a level of flexibility that offshore production cannot easily match.
Layered Air Insulation: Clothing That Changes the Future with New Technology
Among the technologies developed by the Tech Lab in recent years, we would particularly like to highlight our innovative wear that uses layered air for thermal insulation. This summer, we exhibited for the first time at the Ultra-Trail® Village booth at the annual trail running event held in late August in Chamonix, southeastern France. At our booth, we showcased a prototype featuring an innovative technology that traps air inside the garment, significantly changing thermal retention by adjusting the amount of air.
“This technology was actually inspired by the triple-pane windows used in homes. Traditionally, air has been seen as highly insulating, but if the layer becomes too thick, convection occurs, causing the interior and exterior temperatures to equalize. Triple-pane windows effectively retain heat by creating layers of air using three panes of glass. We applied this mechanism to apparel and developed a technology for forming thin layers of air to prevent convection, ensuring stable thermal insulation. When air is trapped, the garment becomes warm; when air is released, it becomes cool. This technology is ideal for activities like mountain climbing and trail running, where daily temperature swings are large, as well as for use in cities where the temperature frequently changes. Therefore, a single garment can function as a thin jacket and a thick down jacket.” (Hirayama)
Since this advanced technology does not use filling materials such as down and synthetic fibers, it enables us to create climate- and environmentally-friendly products. We plan to bring this technology to mass production, targeting the Fall/Winter 2026 season. With patent applications underway, it is expected to become one of our key competitive advantages.
The Art and Science Behind Sports Apparel
“For our products, we don’t compromise on sensibility-driven design or scientific functionality,” says Hirayama. The Tech Lab embodies this philosophy. After working in sales roles, including department store sales, at the Fukuoka Sales Office, Osaka Branch, and Tokyo Head Office, Hirayama launched the C3fit brand as a product planner in the Compression Underwear Business Division. This diverse experience gives him unique capabilities. He spearheads innovative monozukuri projects, seamlessly integrating art and science as a bridge between the market and the research team.
“Our company has always been good at monozukuri. But today, simply continuing to mass-produce quality products efficiently is not enough. Previously, we focused on addressing requests from brands or solving existing issues. Going forward, solving visible issues will be just the baseline. The Goldwin Tech Lab is on a mission to realize potential needs that are not yet known to the market.” (Hirayama)
The Tech Lab is more than just an R&D center—it continues to create new value based on art and science.
Soichi Hirayama
Born in Saitama Prefecture, 1973. Joined the company in 1997. After roles at the Fukuoka Sales Office and in department store sales at the Osaka Branch and Tokyo Head Office, he transitioned to product planning roles across THE NORTH FACE, Compression Underwear, and Goldwin Business Divisions. In 2023, he was appointed head of the Tech Lab in the Research and Development Division. He played rugby competitively during his student years and now competes in 100-mile trail running races.
The information provided, job titles and affiliations are current as of the time of the interview.
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