Marufuku Textile Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Nishio City, Aichi Prefecture), which plans and manufactures sunburn and heatstroke prevention products, has sold over 3 million units in total and won second place in the 2025 Rakuten Annual Ranking “Sports & Outdoor Category”*.
Furthermore, it also won the Best Shop award in the Sports Genre category of the Rakuten Shop of the Month for February 2026. The company sells the “Yakenu” series of face covers specifically for sunburn prevention. The series includes the popular summer model “Yakenu So Cool” and the “Yakenu 99.9 Black Label,” which boasts the highest UV cut rate in the series and has garnered strong support, selling out every time it is restocked.
The lineup is tailored to various uses and situations. This time, a collaboration item with the fishing brand “Galápagos” has been renewed, and the “Easy Breath Neck Gaiter Plus+” will be released sequentially from mid-May at Galápagos retailers nationwide*.
Galápagos official website ( https://galapagos-fishing.com/products/easybreath-neckgaiter-plus )
This renewal features a thinner, cooler fabric. Furthermore, the neckline has been lengthened by approximately 4cm, reducing skin exposure when looking down. A new light gray color has also been added, bringing the total color options to two: dark gray and light gray.
In addition to its high UV protection with a 99% UV cut rate and UPF 50+ rating, the mouth opening reduces breathlessness and pressure, ensuring comfort even during long fishing trips. The simple design, featuring a subtle Galápagos logo, pairs perfectly with fishing attire.
With the recent heatwaves continuing, taking precautions against heat and UV rays is essential this year as well. The Japan Meteorological Agency defines a day with a maximum temperature of 40°C or higher as an “extremely hot day,” indicating that summer heat is getting more severe every year. In addition to skin damage from sunburn, the fatigue caused by the effects of UV rays should not be underestimated.
The face, in particular, is susceptible to UV rays and heat, so neck gaiters are becoming an essential item for fishing as a UV protection item.
The newly redesigned “Easy Breath Neck Gaiter Plus+” offers enhanced comfort and functionality, making it a reliable item for enjoying fishing comfortably during sunny seasons.
*Data compiled from February 1st to June 1st, 2025, for the face cover and neck cover category.
* Availability may vary by store, so please contact your nearest fishing tackle shop for information on ordering this item.
We’ve updated the material to be thinner and cooler, and extended the back of the neckline by 4cm to prevent skin exposure when looking down.
Contains shape-retaining tape
Shape-retaining tape
The nose area has a shape-retaining tape (nasal core) that creates space around the mouth for easier breathing, and it is designed to prevent sticking to the skin even when you sweat.
Comfortable breathing and hydration.
Comfortable breathing and hydration.
The opening at the mouth allows for comfortable breathing.
You can easily rehydrate while wearing them. Another feature is that the polarized sunglasses are less likely to fog up because air easily escapes downwards.
Size adjustment stopper
Size adjustment stopper
It has a cylindrical design without fasteners, and the size can be adjusted with a large stopper.
High UV protection & wide coverage
High UV protection & wide coverage
With a 99% UV protection rate and UPF 50+, this high-performance mask provides excellent protection for your face. The UV protection effect lasts even after multiple washes.
Designed to cover the ears, it offers wide coverage. The cool-to-the-touch fabric, sleek silhouette, and highly stretchable material conform to your movements, ensuring comfort even during prolonged wear.
■Product overview ■
Easy Breath Neck Gaiter Plus+ (Dark Gray)
Easy Breath Neck Gaiter Plus+ (Light Gray)
Product Name: Easy Breath Neck Gaiter Plus+
Colors: Dark Gray, Light Gray (2 colors total)
Material: 87% Polyester, 13% Polyurethane
Size: Free (Adjustable ear loops)
Price: ¥4,620 (tax included)
Galápagos official product page ( https://galapagos-fishing.com/products/easybreath-neckgaiter-plus )
■ Where to buy ■
Galápagos retailers nationwide
*Availability of this product may vary by store.
*For inquiries regarding ordering products, please contact your nearest fishing tackle shop.
■ Galápagos ■
Japanese fishing culture has evolved in its own unique way. We aim to deepen that evolution and share it with people all over the world.
Galápagos is a fishing brand established in 2021 by experts from different genres: bass fishing and saltwater lure fishing.
■ UV and sunburn prevention face cover “Yakenu” ■
“Yakenu,” a face cover specifically designed for sun protection.
Marufuku Textile Co., Ltd. has been selling “Yakenu,” a face cover specifically designed to protect against UV rays and prevent sunburn, since 2010. In 2025, sales were more than 1.3 times higher than the previous year (according to company statistics). Against the backdrop of record-breaking heat continuing in 2025, in addition to traditional uses such as sports and outdoor work, daily use for beauty purposes has expanded, and more people are incorporating it as part of their beauty care when going out, resulting in a greater diversity of usage scenarios and user base than ever before. In particular, series developed from a beauty perspective, such as “Mejira Plus” and “99.9 Black Label,” have gained strong support and are attracting attention.
Due to the extreme heat waves of recent years, the need for sun protection using face covers is expected to increase even further beyond 2026. We will continue to develop and offer these items so that they can be enjoyed by many people as a way to support their daily comfort.
■ Features of Yakenu ■
The most distinctive feature of the Yakenu is its two-piece design, upper and lower, which helps to prevent breathlessness.
“BreathLuTech” logo
“Breath-Through Tech” features a patented separate opening structure that eliminates stuffiness. Its innovative design allows you to drink beverages directly from the mask and prevents glasses from fogging up.
Yakenu’s three unique points
■ The highest level of UV protection that lasts forever
The UV protection effect lasts even after multiple washes, making it economical.
Yakenu uses safe and reliable high-performance yarn made in Japan, and titanium with UV-cutting properties is kneaded into the fabric (yarn) itself. Since this is not a post-processing, the effect lasts semi-permanently even after washing.
[About Marufuku Textile Co., Ltd.]
Company name: Marufuku Textile Co., Ltd.
Head office address: 5 Toyomi, Togasaki-cho, Nishio City, Aichi Prefecture
Representative Director: Tomoyuki Murase
Business activities: Planning, manufacturing, and sales of products for protection against UV rays and heatstroke.
Established: 1952
HP: https://www.marufuku.ne.jp/
MARUFUKU Rakuten Market Store: https://www.rakuten.co.jp/suzukachan/
