"Life is full of chances" - The motivation for starting a business

Looking back, the strength I gained from hardship is what drives me today.

I was born in Sapporo in 1984. From an early age, I grew up in what could hardly be called a privileged environment.

I grew up in a single-parent household, moving from Sapporo and Hakodate to Niigata and then Asahikawa. Life in Asahikawa was particularly tough financially, and the reality that my family didn't have the things that my friends around me took for granted was deeply engraved in my young mind.

Have you ever experienced life without a bath?

During my junior high school years, I went through a rebellious phase, and as I searched for my place in the world, I experienced friction with those around me, fights, delinquency, and various other conflicts.

At the time, I just wanted to have fun with my friends and prove that I was brave, so I stretched myself and got involved in bad things.

My life began to change when a member of the Self-Defense Forces happened to visit my home and told me about the option of attending the Boys' Technical School.

I jumped at the chance to work, wanting to escape poverty, but I couldn't adapt to the harsh environment and ended up quitting.

I wasn't prepared for the fact that I was the only one living a tough life while my local friends were enjoying themselves.

A turning point in my hospital stay

After retiring, he re-enrolled in a local high school, one year younger than his classmates. During his time at high school, he was suspended indefinitely after just one month of enrollment, leading an unstable life. However, his unreasonable lifestyle eventually took its toll, and he was hospitalized with "acute hepatitis, one step away from fulminant hepatitis."

The doctors said they didn't know the cause, but I somehow felt it, and that's a secret.

I began to feel more and more like "why me?" and to be honest, I even became harsh towards others who came to visit me.

However, when I faced my life for the first time in my hospital bed, I felt a strong sense of relief that things could not continue like this.

After being discharged from the hospital, he used a closet as a desk and devoted himself to studying for 14 hours a day, and his grades improved dramatically.

However, when I was told to give up on going to university due to family circumstances, I was truly devastated.

Still, he couldn't give up, and found a way to become a newspaper scholarship student, which enabled him to enter Keio University. (Although he entered as a newspaper scholarship student, he was unable to take the required courses, so he quit the newspaper scholarship and switched to a scholarship.)

This experience gave me the belief that "if you don't give up, a way will definitely open up" and the realization that "there are people in the world who live in far more unreasonable circumstances than I do." I want to become someone who can lend a hand to those people someday—that desire is my starting point.

Searching for and struggling as a working adult

After graduating from university, he worked in the financial industry before joining an urban planning consulting firm. At first, he had no specialized knowledge and struggled constantly, but he persevered with a single-minded determination to "not lose," and during his 14 years there he worked on many projects, eventually becoming the youngest person ever to be promoted to head of the department.

I was really happy at the time.
All those days of crying at home were worth it.

However, despite achieving superficial success, a question began to grow deep in my heart: "Is this really what I want?"

I often find myself questioning the gap between the significance of the redevelopment project and reality.

At that time, I came into contact with the life of Dr. Tetsu Nakamura, who dedicated his life to relief efforts in Afghanistan during the self-restraint period caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and was reminded of the determination I had made in high school.

"There are people in the world who live in far more unreasonable circumstances than I do. I want to be someone who can lend a hand to those people someday."

Now is the time to start.

Towards a new challenge

In June 2022, I left my stable position and took a step towards a new challenge. I went to the Philippines to study English, and then to Nairobi, Kenya. I focused on the problem of the large amount of second-hand clothing being imported into Africa, and explored the possibility of developing local industries and starting an upcycling business.

Through my experience in Kenya, I was able to experience firsthand both the various social issues facing Africa and the potential that lies within. I met designers who work in slums and urban areas, such as Looks Like Abeed, and began working towards supporting impoverished areas and starting a business in the apparel industry, which is something I love.

Having faced economic uncertainty since childhood, I empathize deeply with the local people who are sincerely tackling poverty issues, and I am still searching for a way to walk alongside them.

KARL&C — A bridge between two cultures

Our new brand, "KARL&C," is made using the vibrant African fabric "Ankara" sourced from Makoko, a water slum in Nigeria, and is produced with the reliable techniques of a long-established manufacturer in Tokyo's downtown area.

The rich colors and bold patterns of Ankara fabrics are rich in beauty rooted in a long history and culture, while the delicate craftsmanship of Japanese artisans offers a unique value.

What we aim to achieve through this brand is not simply "selling products."

Our goals are to support the lives of the people of Makoko, a floating slum in Nigeria, to pass on traditional Japanese manufacturing techniques to the next generation, and to provide consumers with an option that combines social significance and beauty.

To achieve this, we believe the first step is to raise awareness among Japanese people about Makoko and other impoverished areas around the world.

Each bag is filled with big dreams and small hopes. We hope that every time you pick up a bag, you will feel a connection with people living in faraway places and become a part of their story.

My beliefs

Life is full of unexpected difficulties. However, I believe that if you don't give up and keep moving forward no matter what the situation, a path will surely open up. And because of the hardships I have experienced, I want to help people who are facing similar difficulties.

"Creating a society in which everyone in the world has more opportunities" - with these words in mind, we will continue to take on new challenges.

I also want to give back to my mother, family, and everyone else who always supported me when I was in trouble.

Representative Kaoru Tsuji