History of the COSMO® Embroidery Floss Brand
共有
The Origin of the COSMO Name—A Story of Embroidery Thread Born in Kyoto
COSMO® embroidery thread lined up on craft store shelves. That familiar sight of vibrant colors arranged in neat rows has become well known to handmade enthusiasts around the world.
But surprisingly few people know where the brand name “COSMO” comes from—or that this thread was born in Kyoto.
When Did the Name “COSMO” Begin?
The history of COSMO brand embroidery thread goes back to before World War II. LECIEN founder Naozo Nomura launched Tanaka Kyodai Shokai in 1929 (Showa 4) and Nomura Shoten in February 1933 (Showa 8), but records show dealings with Cosmo Co., Ltd. (Osaka City, founded May 20, 1924 / Taisho 13) already existed from the Tanaka Kyodai Shokai era. In other words, COSMO® was originally thread made by an outside manufacturer; in 1945—the year the war ended—LECIEN purchased the brand name and a full set of equipment from Cosmo Co., Ltd. (Source: Behind the Brilliant Path—Volume 2—40 Years of LECIEN Nomura, 1987.) By the 1960s, Managing Director Naoharu Nomura of LECIEN (then Nomura Co., Ltd.) organized the rights and related matters.
In the embroidery thread market, COSMO already enjoyed high recognition and top sales. Fans spanned a wide range of ages, and the name had steadily taken root in the world of hobbies and crafts. That is exactly why unified brand management and a clear product image strategy had become urgent priorities.
1968: In Kyoto, COSMO Became “Our Own Thread”
The turning point came in September 1968 (Showa 43). Nomura Co., Ltd. formally acquired the COSMO® trademark. At the same time, it introduced four embroidery thread processing machines made by KDG in the UK.
These machines were outstanding. From hank (skein) form through labeling, boxing, and packaging—work that had previously been split across multiple steps—could be handled by a single machine. Craftsmanship and mechanical precision came together, establishing a system that stabilized the quality of every skein of thread.
In this way, COSMO® was reborn—from a mere product name into “thread that LECIEN takes responsibility for delivering to the world.”
Why “COSMO”? Colors That Expand Like the Universe
The word COSMO means “universe” or “an ordered world.” There may be no more fitting name for an embroidery thread brand.
What COSMO is proud of is its overwhelming number of colors. A rich lineup including subtle gradients carries the maker’s imagination as far as the stars spread across the night sky. When you think, “I want this color,” the answer is always waiting on the COSMO thread shelf—users around the world feel that way.
A Passion for Color—From Kyoto to the World
In 1979 (Showa 54), LECIEN established LECIEN Arts (later LECIEN College) on Karasuma Street in Kyoto. Behind that decision was an experience in which a staff member encountered patchwork quilts at the Shelburne Museum in Vermont, USA, and was deeply moved.
“What powerful, fresh beauty. In the harsh life of the frontier era, women passed it from hand to hand within their families…”
That emotion took shape as the “3C” concept: Community, Culture, and Creativity—a desire to create a place where people meet through embroidery and patchwork, refine their sense of color, and share the joy of making something. That is the spirit of LECIEN College, and a philosophy still carried by today’s COSMO®.
The Long Span of Time Packed into a Single Thread
When you pick up COSMO® embroidery thread, more than 60 years of history are packed into it. Reclaiming the trademark, introducing processing machines, establishing a hub for color culture in Kyoto—each of those decisions stacked up to create the COSMO of today.
When you thread your needle, you are spinning the continuation of that long story.
See the Thread Featured in This Article
The COSMO® embroidery thread featured in this article is available below.