Q. Today, please tell us your thoughts about BAREN and the story behind its founding.
First of all, what inspired you to create BAREN?
It all started when I was diagnosed with cervical cancer and was unable to find a care hat or wig that I wanted to wear while I was losing hair due to chemotherapy.
In 2021, I was diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer and began chemotherapy. At that time, my doctor told me, "The chemotherapy drugs used in treatment will cause hair loss, so I should prepare a medical wig and a care cap."
Q. Just being told you have cancer is a shock, but when you also experience hair loss, it's even more disconcerting.
Well, I was pretty confused. So I started looking for a care hat, but I was disappointed to find that the only ones I could find were ones that looked like they were for sick people.
I tried buying a few medical wigs, but they were uncomfortable to wear; they were too tight and caused headaches, and they got so stuffy that I ended up sweating.
I bought a fairly expensive mid-range wig, but in the end I never got around to wearing it.
When I told the nurse about this, she told me that "many people have the same problem and temporarily give up on living a normal life."
When I heard that, I thought, "Why not make a stylish and comfortable care hat myself?" Looking back, I think that conversation was the starting point for BAREN.
There were already many things I had to give up while fighting my illness, but I didn't want to give up on fashion and comfort either. With that single-minded determination, I immediately began designing hats and preparing to start my own business.
Q. Was your family surprised that you decided to start a business while battling illness?
That was a big surprise for them (laughs), but one of the reasons I wanted to make fashionable care hats was that I didn't want my daughters, who were worried about me, to look like I was sick any more. I surprised them in many ways, but I think I'm able to show them that I'm still fashionable and moving forward in a positive way, just like before.
My daughters are now in elementary school, but they actively support me by helping me with model shoots, giving me their opinions on products, and making "BAREN-chan" stamps.
I had told my husband that I was going to manufacture and sell care hats, but he probably imagined selling them on a small scale, and was surprised to see me suddenly incorporate the business, write a business plan, and start raising funds (laughs).
I'm sure there are many things on my mind, but I'm grateful to my family for supporting me with a smile.
Q. Did it take a lot of courage to start your own business out of nowhere?
When I started market research, I noticed that the number of cancer patients was increasing year by year and becoming younger, but the design and functionality of care hats had not been updated. I thought that things could not continue as they were.
My experience working on the manufacturing and sales business of an interior brand from its start-up may also have been a big factor.
Although the products I make will change from furniture to hats, it won't be any different from a business perspective. I felt confident that I could do it too!
Furthermore, in my previous job I was a web designer at a major IT venture, so those skills came in handy. I thought, "All of my experiences have come together and I can use them all at BAREN! This might be my mission."
Q. Even so, I imagine you had a lot of difficulties when you first started.
There was a lot of that (laughs).
After much thought into what kind of care hat would be both stylish and comfortable, I came up with the "scarf hat + bangs wig" style, but the next step was difficult.
I consulted with companies, showing them my specifications and saying, "I want to make a hat with a certain design that can be attached to a wig with a hook-and-loop fastener," but in the end, I was turned down by over 30 companies (25 hat companies/7 wig companies). Some were kind enough to reply, "We've never made a hat like this before, so we can't do it," but some didn't even reply. Because the production numbers were small and the design was unique, they wouldn't take me seriously.
Q. You're very persistent, trying over 30 companies. If it were me, I would have given up after three (laughs). Did you ever think about giving up?
I thought, "There's no reason why I can't do it," so I never even considered giving up. In fact, I did find a company that was willing to listen to my story. But it was still difficult from there. It took a month and a half to make corrections to the sample they made, so in the end it took a year to develop. Because the number of units to be manufactured was small, they had to make it during the factory's free time, so it was put off. I wanted to make it quickly, so it was very frustrating.
Q. Did you choose all the fabrics for the scarf hats, etc., yourself?
That's right. First, I went to a sort of fabric trade fair, and then I visited about four or five showrooms. Each company had about 4,000 different swatches (fabric samples), so I looked at them all. Of course, the design is important, but the feel and weight are also very important. Even if something looks good in the swatch, it can feel heavy when you actually make it and try it on. Just 20g of weight can make a difference in comfort.
We selected the products by comprehensively scoring them based on various criteria, such as design, breathability, weight, wrinkle-free material, and washability. We have now commercialized the products selected from tens of thousands of items.
We also used medical grade hook-and-loop fasteners to attach the bangs wig to the scarf hat, as we didn't want them to irritate the skin. We didn't compromise on any of the details and thought it out thoroughly.
Q. What are your priorities when it comes to designing scarf hats?
First of all, it must be completely undetectable. The brand name BAREN is a pun on the Japanese word "baren" (not to be found). We made many prototypes to ensure that the nape of the neck, bangs, and sideburns would be naturally hidden.
The scarf ribbon can be tied and adjusted by the user, so it can be worn comfortably regardless of the size of the head or whether hair loss or hair growth is in progress. As hair grows back, hats can sometimes be pushed up and float away, but this doesn't happen with the BAREN. It also won't be blown off by the wind. Plus, the stylish design means you can wear it even after recovery.
Q. What is BAREN's uncompromising concept?
When we were thinking about what kind of product BAREN should be, we also considered more conservative designs, such as a regular cap or knit hat with bangs.
There are very few people in Japan who wear headscarves as a fashion statement, so some people were concerned that it would stand out in a bad way.
But then I wondered whether it was enough to simply hide the loss of hair and make it look like it was back to normal. It would be boring to simply turn a negative into a zero, so I thought it would be better to go all out and turn it into a positive. I thought I should propose fashion that people wouldn't have tried if they hadn't lost their hair.
Q. It's true that not many people wear scarves, but when you actually try one on, you'll be surprised at how well it blends in with any outfit. It really elevates your everyday outfit.
That's right. After trying out various fabrics, I found that while basic items like plain black are of course easy to use, patterned items are also easy to incorporate into outfits. At first, I tried making a safe, plain khaki item, but when I paired it with a trench coat, I ended up looking like a botanist (lol). I realized that patterns are surprisingly easy to match. There were many things I couldn't understand until I made them.
Q. What is the greatest joy of creating BAREN?
That is reading customer reviews. We started BAREN with great enthusiasm, but we were full of anxiety, wondering, "Is this really the right format?" and "Will people really accept it?" But once we started selling, we received many heartfelt reviews.
Q. Are there a lot of good reviews?
We currently have 191 reviews (as of January 2024), with an average rating of 4.9 stars. I'm not only pleased with the number of reviews and the high ratings, but everyone has written such heartfelt reviews that I've been crying tears of joy while reading them.
Many people say that BAREN is a source of emotional support, but I personally feel supported and encouraged by the feedback of our customers. Of course, we also take seriously any suggestions that we wish were better and use them as a reference for improvements.
I would be even happier if those who are currently considering BAREN would read this review and dream of the kind of life they could have with BAREN.
Q. What do you want to convey to your customers through BAREN?
At the heart of it all is the desire to "not want people who are already struggling with illness to feel even the slightest bit of stress." When I started my business, I wrote that in my business plan, because I thought that was how it should be in order to spread BAREN. But now it's no longer just pretty words; it's that feeling that has become my sole driving force.
We always strive to create products that are as stylish, comfortable, and cost-effective as possible, in the hopes of reducing the stress of those battling illness.
The selling price was also set at the lowest possible level by working backwards from the cost price.
I want to bring a smile to the faces of people all over the world who are suffering from hair loss with a product that I truly desire, and this desire grows stronger with each passing day.
It would be wonderful if BAREN spread not only in Japan but all over the world.
For example, the number of breast cancer patients is increasing not only in Japan but also worldwide, and in the United States in particular, it is said that one in eight women is at risk of developing breast cancer.
We are currently exploring how we can make BAREN known to people who need it not only in Japan but all over the world.
