Press Release
Stagebank, Inc which develops African-themed fashion shows such as "Tokyo Africa Collection," has launched "HIBIRI," a social brand that "aims to solve social issues in Africa while also being close to the pain points of Japanese consumers." As our first product, we will be releasing an underwear mist (underwear spray) on September 12th (Tuesday) that will address the problem of odor and itching in intimate areas.
Background
HIBIRI Underwear Mist was developed for people who suffer from odor and itching in their intimate areas, especially during menstruation. With the expansion of the femtech/femcare market, body soaps and serums that directly care for affected areas are being released one after another, and HIBIRI Underwear Mist focuses on clothing such as underwear, napkins, and vaginal discharge sheets that keep in contact with the skin.
During the planning and product development process, we conducted interviews with dozens of people, mainly women, and conducted research using prototypes. Many people take daily care of themselves with VIO hair removal, body soap for intimate areas, etc., and frequently change napkins and use wiping sheets during menstruation, but when they are busy, they cannot go to the bathroom to take care of it and some said that they couldn't help but notive the smell at the end of the day, and which made them feel less confident than usual. Therefore, we have developed a fabric spray that can address odor and itching problems from clothing such as underwear like pants and shorts, napkins, and pantyliner that constantly come into contact with intimate areas.
Under the supervision of a female dermatologist, we aim to address odor and itching problems caused by clothes that touch intimate areas, rather than taking traditional skin care approaches.
In a preliminary monitoring survey conducted mainly among women in their 20s and 30s, we got many positive feedback such as that "It's card-shaped and compact, so it's easy to carry, and I can use it whenever you feel like it" and "Due to the nature of my job, I can't change the napkin thus I found it quite useful".
Product
"HIBIRI Underwear Mist" contains active ingredients derived from Africa and Japan. A skin-friendly antibacterial ingredient born from the clean water of Niigata and a moisturizing ingredient Shea Butter Aqua from Ghana, Africa, approaches dryness and bacteria that cause odor and itching. It is produced at factory in Japan.
We also use high quality essential oils from Madagascar. You can choose from two types: Geranium & rosemary verbenone essential oil scent and Ylang ylang & helichrysum female essential oil scent.
It dries quickly even after spraying and it doesn't get stuffy. The palm-sized card-shaped container is convenient to carry. It can be used not only by women but also by men, regardless of gender.
[Product Name] HIBIRI Underwear Mist
[Price] 2,480 yen (excl. tax and shipping fee)
[Subscription] 980 yen for the first time (excl. tax and shipping fee) / 1,480 yen for the second and subsequent purchases (excl. tax and shipping fee)
[Contents] 20ml
[Production] Japan
[Start of Sales] Tuesday, September 12, 2023
[Sales Channel] Official website (https://hibiri.jp/)
Contains water-soluble moisturizing ingredient "Shea Butter Aqua".
Utilizing natural essential oils from Madagascar.
Social Contributions
“HIBIRI” underwear mist aims to be brand tp address various social issues. By purchasing shea butter from Ghana at a fair price, we distribute profits fairly. This contributes to stabilizing the income of local women and improving their quality of life. The essential oils from Madagascar are also produced by NPOs that work with local small-scale farmers fighting against deforestation and poverty.
In addition, a portion of the sales will be donated to Plan International, an international NGO that aims to empower women by tackling issues such as discrimination and poverty that women face around the world, including Africa. We aim to be a "social contribution" brand that utilizes African materials that benefits to local society, solves the problems of Japanese consumers, and runs a cycle of returning profits to the organizations addressing social problems.
皮膚科医監修
Underwear mist HIBIRI was supervised by dermatologist Dr. Naoko Wakita.
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VIO hair removal has recently become popular as a medical hair removal treatment, and many customers request the treatment not only for their appearance but also for the odor in their intimate areas, so they want to improve it even a little. This problem is especially aggravated during the summer sweaty season or during menstruation, but we have also come across people who are so concerned about odors that they frequently wipe their intimate areas directly with wet tissues, resulting in rough skin.
This underwear mist is a new type of product that can be sprayed on underwear to prevent genital odor. The antibacterial agent used is the same ingredient used in baby wipes, and since it does not contain alcohol or surfactants, the risk of rash is low and you can use it with confidence. Since you only need to spray it on your underwear, we also recommend that it does not irritate the skin in intimate areas.
It contains essential oils such as ylang-ylang and geranium, which are said to be effective for menstrual pain and dysmenorrhea. We have carefully selected high-quality ingredients native to Africa, such as this essential oil and shea butter, which is blended as a moisturizing ingredient. This product provides antibacterial protection against odors in intimate areas while enjoying a subtle scent.
Naoko Wakita
After graduating from Kobe University School of Medicine, she worked as a dermatologist and cosmetic dermatologist at various hospitals. Currently, she focuses on skin regeneration medicine for skin concerns such as wrinkles, aging, acne, and eczema. She is a member of the Japanese Dermatological Association, the Japanese Society of Cosmetic Dermatology, and the Society of Regenerative Medicine.
Comment by Brand Producer
Comment from Leo Sugo, CEO of Stagebank, who is also the planner and brand producer of HIBIRI.
In 2016, when I was still a student, my friends and I launched the Tokyo Africa Collection, a fashion show aimed at conveying the charm of Africa to the younger generation. Since then, by communicating the diversity and charm of Africa through fashion shows and events, we have encouraged many people living in Japan to buy African-related brands not because they are poor, but because they are attractive. I have been working hard to change people's mindsets.
The development of HIBIRI came from the idea of creating a win-win brand for Africa and Japan that could solve the problems of people living in Japan while utilizing Africa's attractive materials. In my previous job, I was in charge of detergent and fabric softener brands at a major consumer goods manufacturer, and because of my job, even in my private life, I had a habit of asking friends about their odor problems. In response to the problems that many of my female friends have about odor in their intimate area, I thought it would be possible to create a new product using African materials. HIBIRI is a product that can be used by men and other genders, but the focus of its development was on concerns about menstrual odor and itching, and dozens of women were involved in the entire process from planning to sales, me hearing thier feedbacks.
I would be happy if, through HIBIRI, I could make "new encounter with Africa" that you love the product first and realize later that it is actually came from Africa.
Leo Sugo
CEO of Stagebank and HIBIRI brand producer. He joined P&G, a major American consumer goods manufacturer as new hire in 2018. He worked as a brand manager and director in Japan and Singapore, and left the company in September 2022. Currently, he is concentrating on Stagebank, which incorporated the management organization of Tokyo Africa Collection, which he founded during his student days. He graduated from Waseda University and then completed his master's degree at the London School of Economics.
Tokyo Africa Collection
A fashion show/fashion initiative aimed at delivering the charms of African countries to people in Japan who are not interested in Africa. We held our first show in 2016 and has produced many fashion shows and events since then. “Tokyo Africa Collection 2019” has been certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a TICAD7 partner project, and was sponsored by African embassies, JICA, JETRO, and others. We mobilized 600 people at Yurakucho Asahi Hall (full house). Sayaka Akimoto served as the ambassador, and brands from Rwanda, South Sudan, Nigeria, etc. participated.
