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The future of Japanese apparel
FROM ready-to-wear knits manufactured instantly to customized dresses produced on inkjet printers, Japan’s apparel industry is turning to state-of-the-art technology in a bold bid to cut labor costs and secure its future.
At manufacturing giant Shima Seiki’s factory in western Japan, garments materialize in minutes, thanks to digitally-programed automated machines that can turn out a sample seam-free pullover in half an hour with a push of a button.
The WholeGarment system patented by the Japanese manufacturer and sold to knitwear companies like Italian luxury brand Max Mara includes a digital design system that allows users to choose patterns, colors and cuts.
Originally known for glove-making machinery, Shima Seiki took a technological leap in the 1990s in an effort to revive the flagging fortunes of Japanese apparel manufacturers.
The WholeGarment system allows one worker to operate ten machines — thereby lowering labor costs — and uses limited raw material to create seam-free garments that generate no waste, since they require no cutting.
The initiative is part of a push by Japan’s knitwear industry to capitalize on its technical know-how to create garments that cannot be replicated elsewhere at a lower cost.
The focus on technique and technology has already paid off, with Japan’s knitwear sector registering a 40 percent increase in exports over a 10-year period beginning in 2006, a rare bright spot in an otherwise dismal picture for textile and apparel exports from the country.
Customized design
Recognizing the need for reinvention in the apparel sector, Japanese textile company Seiren, known more for manufacturing curtains and car interiors, is now fusing fashion and digital know-how to launch a customized clothing line for the masses.
The Viscotecs brand invites customers to try on a sample outfit in a dressing room specially fitted with a camera that downloads their image onto a phone.
They can then choose from an array of options — including patterns, fabrics, colors and lengths — displayed on the tablet to create a one-of-a-kind dress.
The design data is digitally transmitted to Seiren’s factory in central Japan where the garment is brought to life via pattern-cutting machines and inkjet printers before being delivered to the store in three weeks.
The process has the potential to transform the fashion industry by cutting down on unsold inventory, which either ends up in the bargain bin or as landfill.
In addition, the use of inkjet printers slashes the amount of water and energy utilized in conventional dyeing methods by at least 80 percent, Seiren said.
However, buying into the brand comes at a cost, with dresses priced between 65,000 to 80,000 yen (US$600 to US$700).
“It may take time but we are confident that once customers know the brand, sales will follow,” said Mayumi Yamakawa, a spokeswoman for Takashimaya.
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