Phiten

Phiten
Founded October 1983[1]
Founder Yoshihiro Hirata, Ayako Doue
Headquarters Kyoto, Japan
Key people
 Yoshihiro Hirata (president)[1]
Products Apparel, athletic tape, supports and braces, lotions and gels, necklaces and bracelets, hair-care products, health food, and other wellness-related products
Total equity ¥30,000,000 (as of May 2009)[1]
Subsidiaries Affiliates in USA, Korea, China, Germany, and the UK[1]
Website www.phitenusa.com www.phiten.com/english/

Phiten is a Japanese company producing apparel, athletic tape, supports and braces, lotions and gels, necklaces and bracelets, health food, and other wellness-related products. Phiten also produces hair-care products under its beauty division, Yuko. All Phiten products are incorporated with one or more "Aqua Metals".[1] The name "Phi-Ten" is derived from the Greek letter "Phi" Φ, and the exponent 10. The "Phi" Φ is used as a symbol to represent the golden ratio in the natural world while "Ten" (10) used as an exponentiation base signifies the infinite possibilities at both the micro and macro level.[2]

Phiten operates over 100 retail store locations across Japan. As of 2009 the company has affiliates in the USA, Korea, China, Germany, and the UK.[1] Phiten has sold over 1 billion Titanium Power Tape Discs worldwide.

Some Major League Baseball players wear the company's nylon-coated necklaces, although it is not known whether it is for the perceived physiological benefits, because of superstition, or a combination of both.[3] However, there is no medical or scientific evidence supporting any physiological effect of Phiten’s products,[4][5] and for many they are seen as mere superstition and ritual.[6]

Company background

The company was founded in October 1983[1] by Yoshihiro Hirata in Japan with its corporate headquarters in Kyoto. In 2008, Phiten acquired a license for the NBA and in 2011, Phiten acquired a license for the NHL.[7]

As of 2013, Phiten has acquired over 100 patents worldwide.

Product information

Through a proprietary manufacturing process, metals, such as titanium, gold and silver are turned into "Aqua Metals" such as Aqua Titanium, Aqua Gold and Aqua Silver which are then incorporated into Phiten products. Aqua metals are created through a proprietary process that breaks down metals into microscopic particles dispersed in water, creating a hydro-colloidal metal. Every Phiten product features this technology.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Company information". Phiten. May 2009. Retrieved 2012-10-12.
  2. ↑ About Us from Phiten-Canada
  3. ↑ Petraglia, Mike (October 25, 2005). "Players take to unique necklace". MLB.com. Retrieved 2012-10-12.
  4. ↑ Do those Phiten titanium necklaces actually enhance athletic ability and promote healing?, Scienceline, NYU Journalism
  5. ↑ So what's with all these necklaces in baseball? from Yahoo! Sports
  6. ↑ Hudson, William (October 26, 2011). "What's the power of a good luck charm?". CNN.
  7. ↑ Van Riper, Tom (January 20, 2013). "Phiten (Maker Of Those Titanium Necklaces) Inks NHL Licensing Deal". Forbes.