- NEWS2025.04.23
- Entries are now open for the KAI Hat & Head-piece Competition.
Reason for Event
To Support New Creators
for the Future of Hat Culture
For over 40 years, KAI has supported "cutting" and "crafting" in the apparel industry and craft studios.
The KAI Hat & Head-piece Competition was launched after an encounter with Nobuki Hizume, one of the world's leading hat and head-piece designers, who reminded us that "scissors underpin creation".
In addition, KAI and Mr. Hizume collaborated to create Ō, a range of products that redefines sewing scissors, with the goal of creating the world's best scissors which are essential for hat making.
However, the number of people aspiring to become hat designers is decreasing every year, and so is the number of people involved in the hat industry in Japan.
Hats are an essential fashion item.
Wearing a hat can give you confidence and help you find a new you.
We believe that hats are culture that enriches our daily lives.
The Hat & Head-piece Competition will be held again this year to redefine hat culture and support new creators to bring the best hats to everyone and to discover talented creators who will be active not only in Japan but also all over the world, creating the hat culture of the future.
2025 Design Theme
When you take a step out of your own world.
You are giddy with expectation, nervous and worried; it feels like something is going to happen.
New challenges always broaden your potential.
There is only one rule in this contest.
That what you make is something that can be worn on the head.
Hat designers who are working on new pieces,
students who are making hats or headpieces for the first time,
creators from different fields.
Differing values and ways of thinking. Japan and overseas. Clothing and other fields.
We look forward to seeing pieces that go beyond borders into different realms.
Archive
See past winners from the contest list below.
Judging Criteria
The KAI Hat & Head-piece Competition will be judged
on the five criteria shown below.
Does the work add a new perspective to the hat? Is it original?
Is the theme incorporated into the concept and clearly expressed?
Does the artist have the techniques to express the design in the work? Does the creator have a high level of skill in hat making?
Is the concept expressed in the work? Is the design expressed exactly in the work (or even better)?
Is the work wearable as a hat, and is it made from the perspective of the wearer?
Judges
NOBUKI HIZUME
After graduating from the apparel design department of Bunka Fashion College at the top of his class in 2004, he moved to Italy. He unveiled a collection as an underwear designer from an Italian manufacturer. After returning to Japan, he created hats and headpieces for stage performances and musicians both in Japan and overseas, and at the same time developed his artist activity “NOBUKI HIZUME”. In 2009, he moved to France, where he has worked on many hats for the Grand Maison’s Paris collection. In 2019, he was certified Best Craftsman of France. Note: The Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF) is a title awarded to highly skilled craftsmen who are worthy of being heirs to French culture, and is said to be equivalent to the Japanese system of recognizing important intangible cultural properties (commonly known as “living national treasures”). In the same year, he started the hat brand “HIZUME”.
In the LOEWE collections for FW22 and FW23, he is also taking up the challenge of making clothes using traditional hat-making techniques.
YO SUZUKI
While serving as CMO at KAI, a global cutlery manufacturer, he also serves as CCO at Great Works, a creative company in Sweden. In recent years, while producing expressions and corporate promotions in Japan and overseas, he has been involved in a wide range of activities as a creative director, such as directing the video of actor Mari Natsuki’s performance “PLAY x PRAY” and serving as an executive advisor for manga artist Katsuki Tanaka’s “Shibuya SAUNAS”. In 2019, he was selected as one of Forbes Japan magazine’s “39 Designers Who Will Change the World”, and in 2021, he was chosen as Nikkei’s “Marketer of the Year 2021”.
TORU KURIHARA
President of Kurihara Corporation. Born in Hyogo prefecture. After graduating from Aoyama Gakuin University, he started working at World Co., Ltd., a major apparel manufacturer. Some time later, he joined the family business Kurihara, and succeeded in opening a casual hat specialty store "override" in the area called Ura-Harajuku. Since that time, he has been realizing the development of multiple stores through directly managed stores. In 2003, he was appointed to president.
FUMIE TANAKA
Born in Oita prefecture in 1975. After graduating from Osaka Mode Gakuen, she joined World Co., Ltd. in 1998. After working at SAZABY LEAGUE, Ltd., she established her own company. In the Fall/Winter 2016–2017 season, she launched THE Dallas, followed by the debut of FUMIE=TANAKA in the Spring/Summer 2020 season. Since then, she has been presenting FUMIE=TANAKA collections based in Tokyo. In 2022, she received the 40th Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix New Designer Award and the Shiseido Encouragement Award. With a theme of independent and dignified women, her womenswear and accessories are characterized by luxurious, elegant embellishments designed for mature women who feel at ease in a natural, authentic style.
YUYA NARA
He has been engaged in salon work at SHIMA, a trend-setting salon in Tokyo, while also working internationally as a hair and makeup artist for overseas artists and celebrities. He is active across fashion magazines and industry publications, as well as hair shows and collections. Beyond hair and makeup, he also works as a model and DJ, making him a true fashion icon in Tokyo with a wide range of activities.
Contest Schedule
Production costs of 20,000 yen will be paid to those who succeed in the first round and go on to the second round.
*The contest schedule is subject to change without prior notice.
Pre-entry
The KAI Hat & Head-piece Competition is now accepting pre-entries.
Those who register will receive contest information from the secretariat.
Three pre-entry participants will be selected at random to receive a gift of a pair of thread-cutting scissors.
If you do not receive an email, please set your e-mail to receive emails from kai-group.com.
Last year's interview video
Entry Overview
■Theme
Beyond Borders
■Entry Period
11:00 Wednesday 23rd April – 23:59 Monday 21st July 2025
■Work Conditions
If you progress past the first round, it must be possible to produce your piece and have it arrive by Friday 17th October.
- *The submitted works must be unpublished original works.
- *Production costs of 20,000 yen will be paid for each selected work.
■Judging Criteria
- Design
- Theme/Concept
- Techniques
- Structure/Expressiveness
- Functionality
- *The number of judges may be increased.
- *Only successful entrants will be notified by e-mail of their selection after a strict judging process.
- *We cannot respond to any inquiries regarding the judging results.
■Eligibility
Entrants who can submit their actual work to the KAI project team in Japan in the case that it wins the Excellence Award. There are no restrictions on nationality or place of residence (in Japan or overseas).
- *Entrants can also apply as a team. If a team of entrants is selected for an Excellence Award or the Grand Prize, the prize will be presented to one representative of the team.
- *Minors must obtain the consent of a parent or guardian in advance.
- *However, entrants from the organizer, its affiliated corporations, and their respective officers, employees, contractors and agents are not eligible.
■How to Enter
Please apply using the entry form.
- *We can only accept the specified entry form.
- *Make sure the attached image is in colour.
- *Entrants are responsible for all internet communication charges and other expenses incurred when entering.
- Check the terms of entry regarding the copyright of the submitted work.
- Photos and videos of submitted design proposals, actual works, related events and training in Paris may be published in printed materials, on the internet, social media and/or TV programs. Moreover, members of the press may film and conduct interviews throughout the contest.
- The actual submitted work will not be returned.
- Personal information will be strictly managed and will not be used for any purpose other than the operation of this contest. Additionally, we will not provide entrants’ personal information to third parties without their consent, except when providing it to a subcontractor to the extent necessary for outsourcing the relevant administrative work.
- Unless unavoidable, do not change the registered e-mail address until August 18. If you need to change the email address, contact the contest secretariat. The award may be invalidated if the winner cannot be contacted due to the contact e-mail address being unreachable or other such reasons, or if a reply to the email notifying the entrant about the award is not received by the specified deadline.
- This contest may be changed or cancelled without notice due to unavoidable circumstances.
- Other terms and conditions apply to this contest. Make sure to check the terms of entry when applying.
Terms and Conditions for the "KAI Hat & Head-piece Competition 2025"
By applying to the "KAI Hat & Head-piece Competition 2025" (hereinafter referred to as the "Competition"), applicants are required to agree to the following terms and conditions (hereinafter referred to as the "Terms").
1. Agreement to the Terms
- Please read these Terms carefully before applying to the Competition. By submitting an entry, you are deemed to have agreed to these Terms.
- The organizer of the Competition is Kai Corporation (hereinafter referred to as the "Organizer").
Application Period
- Applications must be submitted no later than 23:59 (JST) on Tuesday, July 21, 2025 (hereinafter referred to as the "Application Period"). Only applications submitted during the Application Period will be valid. All deadlines are based on Japan Standard Time.
Eligibility
- Applications are limited to individuals who, if their work is selected as an Award of Excellence, can submit the actual produced work to the Kai Corporation project team in Japan (hereinafter referred to as the "Eligible Applicant"). Nationality and place of residence (domestic or overseas) do not matter. If a minor applies, prior consent of a parent or legal guardian must be obtained. Employees, officers, contractors, or agents of the Organizer, its affiliates, and related entities (collectively, the "Competition Parties") are not eligible to apply.
How to Apply
- Applications must be submitted via the designated application form.
Notes on Application
- Multiple entries are permitted.
- Applications submitted by methods other than the designated application form will not be accepted.
- File formats must be jpg, png, or PDF, and file size must not exceed 100MB.
- Images must be submitted in color.
- Required information must be entered in Japanese or English.
- Submitted content and applicant names may be used by Kai Corporation in its own media or advertising. Content may be edited or modified in a manner that does not damage the original image.
- For entries submitted from overseas, applicants are responsible for customs duties on shipping the works, and must prepay these fees. Regardless of domestic or international shipping, applicants will receive a 3,000 yen shipping allowance.
License to Use Entries and Waiver of Moral Rights
- If the applicant holds copyright over the submitted content, the applicant grants the Organizer a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, sublicensable license to use the entry in any media for any purpose, including but not limited to use on the Organizer’s websites, social networking services (Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, etc., hereinafter "SNS"), campaigns, advertisements, or marketing activities conducted by the Organizer or other affiliated companies bearing the Kai name. Copyright remains with the original author.
- Applicants agree not to assert any moral rights (including rights of integrity, attribution, or protection against false attribution, hereinafter referred to as "Moral Rights"), now or in the future, in relation to the Organizer’s use of the entries.
- Once submitted, entries cannot be withdrawn or modified.
- Entries that infringe upon third-party rights (such as copyrights or portrait rights) are not permitted. If third-party works or likenesses are included, prior approval from the relevant rightsholders must be obtained. Applicants are solely responsible for resolving any disputes at their own cost and liability, and the Organizer assumes no involvement or responsibility.
- The Organizer reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify entries deemed inappropriate or in violation of these Terms or applicable laws.
- The Organizer may request identification to verify the applicant’s name, age, or address, and reserves the right to disqualify any applicant found to have submitted false or invalid information.
- The Organizer is not responsible for lost, delayed, or misdirected entries.
Selection of Winners
- From among the valid entries, Award of Excellence winners will first be selected through a document review by judges and the Kai project team.
Winners of the Award of Excellence will receive Kai sewing scissors and will be asked to produce the actual hat. From these, one Grand Prize winner and one Special Jury Prize winner will be selected by the judges and Kai project team.
Submitted works will not be returned.
Prizes
- The prizes are as follows:
- Selected Entries: Certificate, up to 20,000 yen production cost support
- Award of Excellence: Kai "7280 Tailor Shears 280mm," up to 20,000 yen production cost support
- Grand Prize: Fashion design training, one Kai "Ō Sewing Scissors," media interview
- Special Jury Prize: 50,000 yen cash prize
Details of the fashion design training, including location and program, will be determined considering global conditions at the time of implementation.
Receipt of Prizes
- Winners must comply with all usage conditions of the prize in order to receive it.
- The Organizer may verify that the winner claiming the prize is the applicant. If verification cannot be completed for any reason, the prize may be forfeited.
- Prizes must be used under the prescribed conditions. No compensation will be provided if the prize cannot be used under those conditions. Prizes cannot be redeemed for cash or substituted.
Announcement of Winners
- Applicants who pass the first screening will be notified by email by Friday, August 15, 2025. Please follow the instructions provided regarding prize receipt.
- The Organizer cannot respond to inquiries regarding selection results.
Re-selection
- If a winner fails to meet the Terms, declines, or does not claim a prize, the Organizer reserves the right to invalidate the award and re-select another winner.
Limitation of Liability
- The Organizer shall not be liable for delays or failures caused by events or circumstances beyond its reasonable control, and reserves the right to suspend, modify, or terminate the Competition as necessary under applicable law.
- The Competition Parties shall bear no liability for any loss, damage, expense, fee, or injury (collectively, "Damages") arising from the Competition or use of prizes, unless otherwise provided by law. This includes direct, indirect, and consequential Damages, even if foreseeable.
- The Organizer may collect personal information of applicants for the purposes of administering the Competition and providing prizes. By applying, applicants consent to the use of their personal information for these purposes. Handling of personal data may be outsourced to third parties within the scope necessary. All personal information will be managed in accordance with the Organizer’s Privacy Policy: https://www.kai-group.com/privacypolicy/.
- These Terms and their interpretation shall be governed by the laws of Japan.
- Any disputes arising out of or in connection with the Competition shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Tokyo District Court in the first instance.
Contact
"KAI Hat & Head-piece Competition" PR Office
Email: kaihat@vectorinc.co.jp
Please allow up to 3 business days for a response (excluding weekends and holidays).
Inquiries unrelated to the Competition cannot be answered.
Award Benefits
KAI Hat & Head-piece Competition
Grand Prize
One Grand Prize will be selected. The winner will receive an extra prize worth a total of 1,500,000 yen, which includes participation in a fashion and design training course (select from Paris or Japan) and a pair of top-of-the-range sewing scissors called Ō developed in collaboration with Mr. Hizume. In addition, the winner will be interviewed by the media.
Fashion and Design Training Course
MR. HIZUME’S ATELIER
ATELIER-MUSEE DU CHAPEAU
SANDRINE BOURG
Mademoiselle Chapeaux
The Ō sewing scissors brand
Interviewed by the media
KAI Hat & Head-piece Competition
Judges’ Special Award
In addition to the prize received by Excellence Award winners,
the winner of the Judges’ Special Award will receive a supplementary prize of 50,000 yen.
KAI Hat & Head-piece Competition
Excellence Award
Winners will receive a certificate and a pair of KAI sewing scissors.
KAI Hat & Head-piece Competition
Selected
Those selected will receive a certificate.
About KAI Sewing Scissors
What are sewing scissors?
Also known as cutting scissors, these scissors are suitable for cutting thick fabric and cloth.
They are used not only by general households, but also by professionals who handle cloth and fabric.
About the Ō sewing scissors brand
These are sewing scissors jointly developed with Nobuki Hizume, the world's leading hat and head-piece designer, with the aim of achieving the world's best cutting performance.
KAI, which has been making scissors used in the apparel industry and craft studios for more than 40 years, has achieved a sharpness that meets Mr. Hizume's high standards after more than eight years of development.
The product is a set of six pairs of sewing scissors in a case made of chestnut wood from Gifu Prefecture, Japan.
KAI 7000 SERIES Product Features
- Made with molybdenum vanadium stainless steel that has excellent sharpness and durability.
- Fine, smooth sharpness achieved by a proprietary blade attachment.
- Has a special screw that does not easily come loose.
- Has a handle shape that does not cause fatigue even when used for a long time.
- Made with a soft elastomer resin that is gentle on hands and does not slip easily.
The scissors were selected for the 2005 IF Design Award (Germany) for their excellent practicality and design.
About the sponsor: The Japan Hat Association
The Japan Hat Association was established in 1969 in preparation for participation in the 1970 World Exposition in Osaka,
Japan by integrating hat-related organizations from all over the country.
After that, it started working as a national organization in cooperation with the relevant authorities. Most recently, the Association held the Hat Weeks 2023 Photo Contest on social media to promote the culture of enjoying hats.
Inquiries about the contest
KAI Hat & Head-piece Competition secretariat
- *It may take up to three business days for us to reply (we cannot reply on weekends and public holidays).
- *We cannot respond to inquiries not related to promotions.
