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Sanrio is a world-wide designer and distributor of character-branded stationery, school supplies, gifts, and accessories. We are perhaps best known for Hello Kitty®, our star character and corporate symbol. Hello Kitty, however, is only one of many Sanrio characters and designs that bring the Sanrio merchandise line to life. Others include Pochacco®, our athletic young pup, and the slightly naughty Badtz-Maru®.
Sanrio was founded in 1960 by Mr. Shintaro Tsuji. Mr. Tsuji created a line of character merchandise designed around gift-giving occasions. Forty years later, Mr. Tsuji is the Chairman of Sanrio Company, Ltd., based in Tokyo and with distribution throughout Japan and Southeast Asia, the Americas and Europe.
Sanrio, Inc., is the wholly owned subsidiary of Sanrio Co., Ltd., and is headquartered in South San Francisco, CA. Sanrio, Inc. distributes products throughout North, Central and South America.
Sanrio began in the western hemisphere in 1976 with a boutique store in the Eastridge Mall in San Jose, CA. In the Americas today, over 4,000 locations proudly display Sanrio character merchandise. This includes Sanrio boutique stores, the ultimate destinations for the Sanrio magic. The rest are stores independently owned by operators who share our "small gift, big smile" philosophy.
Consistent throughout all Sanrio activities on all continents is our aim to provide the means to enrich interpersonal communication. Gift giving is at the heart of our business, and we see every customer as the giver of a gift -- even if it's a special something for herself.
A small gift does bring a big smile. Sanrio provides a vehicle for the young and young-at-heart to express their feelings to friends and family-- each Sanrio product brings a message of friendship and happiness. Giving someone a cute Hello Kitty letter set doesn’t just say “let’s stay in touch”-- it gives them a means to do so.
Sanrio boutique stores are where guests can enjoy the ultimate Sanrio experience. The Sanrio boutique is a fun place, where the store environment and promotions add to the merchandise presentation to create a magical shopping atmosphere. These stores carry the most complete assortment of Sanrio products available-- more than 2,500 items adorned with Hello Kitty and the other trademarked Sanrio character designs. Every month, over 100 new products are introduced so there’s always something new to see. Plus, Sanrio's bonus cards reward customers for paying frequent visits to their local store.
Sanrio merchandise spans a broad spectrum of categories including stationery, school supplies, bags, accessories, room décor, candy, and plush characters. These lifestyle products are for all parts of the day, from morning to night.
Sanrio gifts are appropriate for virtually all gift-giving occasions, from birthdays to Christmas, other holidays, graduation, good grades, visits with friends or relatives, and more. From backpacks and lunchboxes for kids, to cell phone cases, fashion bags, and accessories for teens and adults, Sanrio has something for everyone.
Sanrio’s product planning and design teams are continuously developing new products and character designs to meet the changing needs of our various customers. We listen to our guests, friends, and customers because a Sanrio gift is truly more than just a gift -- it’s an expression of love and friendship. It’s the small gift that brings the big smile!
