Our History

In October of 1925, Toshio Okada, father of the current Executive Advisor Hidekazu Okada and CEO Tomiji Okada, embarked on a journey to create a company responsible for the manufacture, distribution and exportation of items such as sewing and knitting needles and accessories, embroidery and patchwork tools, and other handicraft accessories.

From these humble beginnings in Andojibashi, Osaka, the company relocated to its present location in Higashinari-ku, Osaka in 1946 and opened a plant to start manufacturing products. Two years later, the "Clover" name was acquired and the company began its rapid expansion. Just nine years after its conception, the Osaka Plant was extended in April 1955, and the following year, the founders built another plant in Kyoto to produce crochet hooks. Within the next 12 years, three additional plants were constructed, as well as the first Headquarters building and the Tokyo Liaison Office. In the midst of this growth, the company was christened "Clover Manufacturing Company, Ltd." in 1964. Reflecting the escalating business, Clover continued to grow over the next two decades by expanding the Higashi-Osaka Plant three times, resulting in a factory size of 62,550 total square feet, and creating three more branches in Japan. Furthermore, the company went overseas and launched Clover Needlecraft, Inc. (CNI) in Los Angeles, California in the fall of 1983. The company maintained the expansion by erecting a new Headquarters building in 1991, effectively turning the old building into a Hobby-Hall. Also, a gardening shop, Clover Garden, opened in Tomio, Nara in September of 1996. July 2000 brought two milestones for the company; Clover Euro GmbH opened its doors in Hamburg, Germany, and the Higashi-Osaka Factory and Delivery Center received the ISO 14001, an internationally accepted standard for environmental management. Now, 80 years after its birth, the Clover tradition of growth still persists as we consistently strive to better our products and our company.

1925 Oct

Okada Keishichi Shoten started operation by Mr. Toshio Okada, father of the current CEO Tomiji Okada at Andojibashi, Osaka-city. Japan.

1946 Oct

Moved to the present location and opened a plant to start manufacturing.

1947 Mar

Re organized into corporation. Toshio Okada took as president.

1948 Sep

Acquired "Clover" Brand.

1955 Apr

Extended Osaka Plant (at Tamatsukuri, Osaka).

1956 Sep

Completed Kyoto Plant, which mainly produced crochet hooks.

1959 Aug

Completed 2nd plant, being adjacent to the 1st plant.

1962 Jun

Completed HQs' building.

1963 Mar

Opened Tokyo Liaison Office in Tokyo. Toshio Okada took Chairman's post and Hidekazu Okada, his Son succeeded its position, president.

1964 Apr

New Plant was built at Tamatsukuri, Osaka.

1964 Jul

Renamed Clover Kabushiki Kaisha (or Clover Mfg.Co., Ltd.)

1968 Apr

New Plant was opened in Higashi-Osaka City.

1969 Nov

Completed 2nd enlargement of Higashi-Osaka Plant (adding 3,781 sq. meter).

1974 Mar

Completed 3rd enlargement of Higashi-Osaka Plant (adding 2,644 sq. meter).

1979 Nov

Sapporo Branch opened.

1980 Mar

Fukuoka Branch opened.

1983 Oct

Clover Needlecraft Inc (shortly called CNI) opened in Los Angeles, USA.

1984 Sep

Sendai Branch opened.

1985 Jan

Fukuoka Branch moved to the building newly owned by Clover.

1985 Mar

Completed 4th enlargement of Higashi-Osaka Plant (adding 869 sq. meter)

1987 Jun

Hidekazu Okada took as Chairman and Tomiji Okada was installed as President.

1990 Apr

Osaka Logistic (Distribution) Center moved to Higashi-Osaka City (present location).

1991 Oct

New HQs' building was opened and old one has been used as "Hobby-Kan (Hobby-Hall)" since then.

1992 Apr

Hobby Club and Hobby Classes opened by Clover.

1994 Apr

« Clover Hodaka Farm » opened as an in-service training institute.

1996 Sep

Gardening shop named « Clover Garden » opened at Tomio, Nara Pref.

1999 Jun

First issue "BIEN FAIT" was published, and since then it has been issued every quarter from Kaiin Koryu (namely, Membership Exchange) Div.

2000 Jul

Clover Euro GmbH opened in Hamburg, Germany.

2000 Jul

Higashi-Osaka Factory & Delivery Center got ISO 14001

2001 Jul

Hidekazu Okada was assigned to Executive Advisor Yasuhiro Okada was assigned to Senior Managing Dir. Eiji Yamamoto was assigned to Advisor

2002 Jul

Yasuhiro Okada was assigned to Executive Vice President

2004 Apr

Tomiji Okada was assigned as CEO , and Yasuhiro Okada took over his position.