In an age where apparel production is outsourced to shores with cheap labour, reshoring efforts make for an interesting case study. Often these efforts are centred on appealing to the patriotic streak of the consumer by purchasing goods manufactured in one’s ‘own nation’; as in the case of American Apparel. Japan however has lent a new dimension to rescuing its flagging apparel sector. 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.
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The focus is on offering beyond patriotic sentiments and delivering novelty in true sense. From ready-to-wear knits manufactured instantly on Shima Seiki’s WHOLEGARMENT machines 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 labour costs and secure its future. The WHOLEGARMENT system is patented by the Japanese manufacturer and sold to knitwear companies like Italian luxury brand Max Mara. The virtual prototyping software from Shima Seiki, SDS-ONE APEX3 allows users to choose patterns, colours and cuts. This effort is a classic example of lowering labour costs – and using limited raw material to create seam-free garments that generate no waste, since they require no cutting or sewing.
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The focus on technique and technology has already paid off, with Japan’s knitwear sector registering a 40 per cent 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.
