Key facts
- FamilyMart said Convenience Wear sales are set to rise another 30% in the fiscal year ending March.
- Apparel accounts for less than 1% of FamilyMart's sales, the company said.
- FamilyMart operates 16,500 stores and is Japan's second-largest convenience store chain.
- Lineup head Takehiko Sugai said exclusivity is the chain's differentiator from rival stores.
- Economist Takahiro Suzuki said FamilyMart has built a loyal customer base that rivals have not matched.
FamilyMart's blue, green and white striped socks, priced at 390 yen ($2.44), have sold 40 million pairs since the chain launched its Convenience Wear line in 2021, the company said. The line, developed with parent Itochu's textile expertise and Facetasm designer Hiromichi Ochiai, has grown into a business worth more than 20 billion yen, with sales set to rise another 30% in the fiscal year ending March.
Apparel accounts for less than 1% of FamilyMart's sales and a fraction of Itochu's 2.65 trillion yen in annual gross trading profit, but analysts said it helps the chain draw customers into its 16,500 stores. FamilyMart is now widening the range with lifestyle items, including matching bandanas for pets and owners, and plans a pet range in February with collars and leads.
"Exclusivity is our crucial differentiator from rival chains," lineup head Takehiko Sugai said at the chain's new flagship Tokyo store, whose creative direction was overseen by Nigo, founder of streetwear label A Bathing Ape. FamilyMart declined to disclose how much Convenience Wear lifts overall store traffic, but Sugai said limited-edition releases regularly generate spikes in customer visits.
Rival Lawson, jointly owned by Mitsubishi Corp and KDDI, has partnered with Ryohin Keikaku to sell Muji-branded products, while Seven & i Holdings in September expanded its fashion range through collaborations with brands targeting young generations. Hyakunen Consulting economist Takahiro Suzuki said no rival has matched Convenience Wear's cultural resonance, crediting a loyal customer base.