TOYO COTTON CO. was established in 1920 when Toyo Menka Kaisha, Ltd. was formed in Osaka, Japan, taking over the activities of the Cotton Department from Mitsui & Co., Japan’s largest trading company at that time.

After the establishment of Toyo Menka kaisha, Ltd., as with other overseas cotton operations, Southern Products Co., a company that Mitsui & Co. established in Houston in 1911 to buy American cotton, was transferred from Mitsui & Co. to Toyo Menka Kaisha, Ltd. and relocated to Dallas the following year.

In 1924, Southern Products Co. was restructured into Southern Cotton Co. At that time, the company had 22 branch offices across the US cotton belt and Europe, and its transactions included domestic sales and exports to Japan and Europe, as well as warehouse and cotton press operations.

The outbreak of World War II led to the dissolution of Southern Cotton Co. However, the business was later revived in July 1952 as TOYO COTTON CO., resuming its raw cotton buying and trading activities.

The name “TOYO COTTON CO.” was derived from the translation of "Toyo Menka Kaisha," the original Japanese name, into English. Ownership of TOYO COTTON CO. was shared between Toyo Menka Kaisha, Ltd., based in Osaka, Japan, and Jack J. Stoneham of Dallas, Texas.

Mr. Stoneham, who had been an employee of Southern Cotton Co., played a significant role in establishing the subsidiary after World War II, thanks to his initiative and leadership.

Mr. Stoneham, who owned Stoneham Cotton Co., not only contributed half of the initial capital required to launch TOYO COTTON CO., but also provided the necessary personnel. He also served as the first president of TOYO COTTON CO., holding the position from July 1, 1952, until December 23, 1956.

Upon Mr. Stoneham's retirement, he sold his shares to Toyo Menka Kaisha, Ltd., thereby transforming TOYO COTTON CO. into a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyo Menka Kaisha, Ltd.

During the early years of TOYO COTTON CO., an employee named Mr. Charles C. Wisler took over as president on June 1, 1972, and served in that role until May 31, 1981.

In 1990, Toyo Menka Kaisha, Ltd. changed its name to Tomen Corporation. Tomen Corporation continued its long-standing tradition of involvement in cotton trading dating back to the foundation of the original company and consistently maintained a strong position of leadership in the industry. After thorough consideration, Tomen Corporation decided to establish cotton trading as a standalone entity.

In March 1990, TOYO COTTON (JAPAN) CO. was founded to create a platform for maintaining and expanding cotton trading. At that time, TOYO COTTON CO., Dallas, Texas, became an affiliate of TOYO COTTON (JAPAN) CO., Osaka, Japan. Unlike Tomen Corporation’s other international operations, TOYO COTTON CO. has focused exclusively on raw cotton trading since its establishment.

In 2006, Tomen Corporation merged with Toyota Tsusho Corporation, a pivotal trading and supply chain service provider to the Toyota Group.

Both TOYO COTTON (JAPAN) CO. and TOYO COTTON CO. are important raw cotton supply bases for customers in Japan as well as Southeast Asia, Turkey, and various locations around the world. TOYO COTTON CO., Dallas, also supplies cotton to U.S. domestic mills. Both companies prioritize the best interests of their customers, employees, and shareholders. The customers encompass spinning mills, cotton gins, and cotton producers.

Our goal, now and for the future, is to balance the interests of each for the benefit of all, because without all, our business would not exist. We are committed to maintaining our strong position in the cotton industry while delivering exceptional service to our valued customers.