Pearl Izumi

Founded in 1950, Pearl Izumi has been creating the highest quality cycling apparel, jerseys, shorts and other cycling essentials for the most discerning cyclist for over 65 years.

How was Pearl Izumi born?

Before the Pearl Izumi brand was born, there was a man named Kinji Shimizu. Kinji Shimizu. He used to travel more than 60 km daily with his bicycle, to train the orders of his work to his clients. These orders could weigh more than 40 kilos, so it took Kinji Shimizu a short time to redefine the cycling wardrobe to be more efficient in his work.

Just a few years later, in 1964, one of Kinji's sons, Hiro, rode with the Japan national team at the Asian Cycling Championships, and the brand was commissioned for the usual fourteen cotton kits.

After the races, the team manager wrote the names of each rider on pieces of paper and stuffed them into a helmet. As fate would have it, Hiro's name was chosen, who won the special jersey, made in Italy, 100% nylon. Hiro had never seen anything like it.

That same year, Kinji created his first kit based on that Italian design. He used the best materials he could find. Kinji continued to push his concepts further and his efforts were tireless, searching for new tissues and studying the human body in permanent motion.

Over the next five decades, this insistent approach has resulted in one innovation after another, laying the foundation for making Pearl Izumi the benchmark brand it is today.

Pearl Izumi R&D

Pearl Izumi is characterized by its involvement with innovation and development, as it considers it the secret to learning and exceeding limits. These are some of the most important innovations that this brand has developed in its more than 60 years of history, being the pioneer in the sector:

• Development of technical textiles with a denier gradient to achieve optimal moisture transfer.
• sublimated jersey
• Specific garments for mountain biking
• Multi-density 3D chamois
• Cycling liners designed specifically for women
• High visibility garments, developed in its iconic color in intense yellow
• cycling softshell
• MTB sole molded in plastic polyurethane rubber (TPU)
• BOA closure system in cycling shoes
• seamless shorts
• Lobster Claw Cycling Gloves
• Development of the aerodynamic suit