The History of Brother:

More than  100 Years in 44 Countries

The origin of Brother can be traced back more than  100 years. In 1908, Kanekichi Yasui started Yasui Sewing Machine Co. at his home in Nagoya, Japan. Many years later, Yasui’s sons would rename the company, and this was the beginning of Brother. This new company would surpass all machines manufactured overseas, and to this day, it continues its unprecedented growth as an industry leader.

1908

Getting Started

In April 1908, Kanekichi Yasui established Yasui Sewing Machine Co. in Japan. Masayoshi, the eldest son, at the age of 19,  took over the reins for the Yasui Sewing Machine Company in May 1923.

1920s

Becoming a Brand

By 1928, Masayoshi and his brothers established a new store, Yasui Brothers’ Sewing Machine Co. They chose the brand name “Brother” to emphasize the cooperation they displayed in realizing their dream.

1950s

The Dawn of a Corporation

Roy Nakagawa, Max Hugel, and Bernie Etzin formed a company that exported Japanese-made novelties to the U.S. Roy later met Mr. Yasui, who was searching for a U.S. distributor for his sewing machines. Brother International Corporation took root when Roy, Max, and Bernie became the official U.S. distributors.

1970s

Expanding Product Lines

During the 70s, Brother products included electric and computerized sewing machines, computerized monogramming machines, punch card knitting machines, computer keyboards, calculators, industrial sewing machines, manual and electric typewriters, dot matrix printers, and more!

1979

Innovative Products

In 1979, Brother introduced the Computer-Sew 1000, the  first computerized home sewing machine. Compact, versatile, and with a small assortment of included accessories, the Computer-Sew 1000 continued Brother's trend as the industry leader.

1980s

Commitment and Vision

Brother began to circulate higher-end products and entered a new market called “the office superstores.” Brother continued to be “at your side” with intelligent, in-demand product solutions, essential programs, and support.

1990s

The Home Embroidery Machine

In 1991, Brother released its first Home Embroidery Machine, the PC7000. This innovative machine had a memory card, video tutorials that displayed basic operations and sewing methods, and user-friendly features such as an automatic thread cutter and an automatic thread tension adjuster.

1994

Making Great Strides

The 1990s saw the launch of

Brother.com

, and in 1994, Brother demonstrated a “think locally” approach while understanding the benefit of “acting globally.” In 1998, the Bartlett facility opened in Tennessee, and sales territories expanded across Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and Chile.

2000s

Easing into the 21st Century

Brother again took the home sewing industry to a new level with the release of the groundbreaking ULT2001, which was the first Brother computerized sewing and embroidery machine with a color display. The release of the ULT2001 was a great way to start the new millennium.

2001

New Machines Revolutionize Home Sewing

Brother introduced two incredible new machines: the ULT-2002D and the PE-180D. These new machines integrated technologies that were designed to simplify sewing tasks and to enhance the sewing and embroidery experience.

2008

Inspiration Takes Shape

The ultimate creative partner in sewing, embroidery, quilting and crafting was introduced: the NV6000D. This modern machine came with new and improved features including industry firsts such as InnovEye™ Technology, an Up Close™ Viewer function, and Runway™Lighting. Brother also hit a milestone in 2014 with its 50 millionth machine being manufactured!

2020

At Your Side

Brother believes that “at your side” is more than a marketing term, and new products are designed to keep old loyalties intact, and that drive is still apparent today. We have always been a pioneer in our industry, and we look forward to the future as we continue to be a driving force in innovation and creativity.

Yasui Brothers History

After successfully manufacturing a chain-stitch sewing machine for straw hats in 1928, the Yasui brothers began working on a home lockstitch sewing machine. Mass production of the shuttle hook, an essential component of sewing machines, proved to be a difficult task considering the technology of the time. The Yasui brothers eventually succeeded, and in 1932, their goal of.