団体概要(英)

MEMBERSHIP
President :Kodama Masayo
Director :Satoyo Ono (President at NICCO)
　　　　　　Shigeyo Nakajima (A head instructor)
　　　　　　Hironobu Hama (The head physician)
　　　　　　Michiko Ino(Soloptimist member)
　　　　　　Koshiro Kitano (C.P.A.)

Regular members: 20 / Supporting members:33 / Volunteer members:2

HISTORY
1979 Began as the Women Empowerment arm of Cambodian Refugee’s Relief Program.
1986 First Kyoto Rebornwear Sale.(Held annually thereafter.)
1990 First dispatch of dressmaking instructors to Cambodian Refugee camps.
1993 Started teaching dressmaking in the May 15 school in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
　　　 The mother organization, now known as NICCO, registers with Ministry of Foreign Affairs
　　　 as a public corporation. Reborn becomes an independent body.
1999 First Fukuoka Rebornwear Sale.(Held annually thereafter.)
　　　 First dispatch of dressmaking instructors to Dangphuong village in Vietnam.
　　　 First dispatch of dressmaking instructors to Sanaa in Yemen.
2001 First overseas Rebornwear Sale in Washington D.C. with subsequent sales,as in Hawaii
　　　 and Boston.
2002 Registered Reborn Kyoto, an NPO (Non-Profit Organization) in Kyoto, Japan
2003 Holds a Reborn Wear Charity sale in San Francisco
2004 Registered the brand name "REBORN KYOTO"
2005 First dispatch of dressmaking instructors toPakpasak School in Laos
2007 First dispatch of dressmaking instructors to Savannakhet Technical & Vocational
　　　School in Laos
　　　 First dispatch of plent dyeing, weaving and dressmaking instructors to Viengthong village in .
　　　 Laos
2009 Ongoing projects at Savananakhet Technical & Vocational School and in Viengthong village
　　　 in Laos.

PURPOSE
At the end of WWII, Japan was nearly destroyed. Millions died and the entire infrastructure of the industry, government and society was in tatters. With the help of international support and through the hard work and sacrifice of the Japanese people, the Japanese economy became what it is today, the second largest economy in the world. In recognition of its own reliance upon donations and assistance during those difficult times, many Japanese people accept their responsibility to assist other developing nations, which themselves have been beset by calamities and misfortunes.

Through the agency of NICCO, an established NGO in Japan, Japanese people were encouraged to donate kimonos, which were traditionally used for ceremonial functions and then often never used again. These kimonos were each individually handcrafted and were made with all natural fibers, primarily silk. Each kimono was a work of art unto itself. Reborn then took a quantity of these exquisite fabrics to training programs, in which the kimonos were transformed into modern garments and accessories.

To determine the patterns and teaching plans, the resources of experienced Japanese dress-making volunteers were called upon. An accredited dress-making instructor, Mrs. Shigeo Nakajima, along with the founder of Reborn, Mrs. Masayo Kodama, then went to first, Cambodia, and later, to Vietnam and Yemen, to initiate Reborn training programs. In these programs, the trainees were taught how to use sewing machines, how to follow the Reborn patterns and how to conform to the exacting standards of Japanese tailoring. The finished products were sent to Japan to be graded and only the best were then put on sale in various Reborn exhibitions throughout the world. The money from these sales was used to finance the training programs and to pay incentives to the trainees for work done.

The training programs usually take place several times a year, after which time the students are encouraged to practice the acquired skills. After several years of these training programs, many students are then able to procure employment in established fashion and dress companies. By learning to use the old silk fabrics, their sewing techniques are of the highest standard and they are able to easily find work.

Mrs. Masayo Kodama took responsibility for establishing sales networks and has thus far opened exhibitions in Kyoto and Fukuoka, Japan and in Washington DC, Boston, Hawaii, and, for the first time this September, San Francisco, USA. Reborn is also in the process of constructing on this website facilities for on-line sales of Reborn products.

Reborn Kyoto was created to provide a way to contribute to the international effort to assist the developing countries by helping to develop cottage industries for the disadvantaged women and children in these societies. Sewing is a primary skill, which is essential in the fabrication of clothing. Using donated kimonos, Reborn Kyoto established training centers in various impoverished areas to teach uneducated and unemployed residents how to make modern garments using the delicate silk material of the kimono. The trainees are instructed in all areas of sewing and tailoring by experienced and qualified professionals so they can procure employment after the training sessions.

Completed garments and accessories using the recycled kimono materials are then sent back to Japan where they are finished for final sale. The completed products are annually sold in Reborn Wear exhibitions in Kyoto and Fukuoka, Japan and in Washington DC, Boston, Hawaii and San Francisco in the US. The proceeds from these sales are used to fund Reborn Wear operations and training programs, as well as to provide financial incentives for trainees to give them confidence in their abilities to earn an income through their own labor.