Sewing factory is located where there are abundant workforce but no industry has been developed yet. Japanese sewing industry has survived by firstly building sewing factories in urban areas, then moving them to local areas and finally to the country areas. However, as it turned difficult to maintain domestic production, we finally built our factory in China in 1993. When we launched the business in China, payroll cost there was twenty-fifth as much as that in Japan and many people applied to our job. The recruited people were very efficient as they had fast hands and an attitude of improvisation. Besides, thanks to the impetus of times, our business in China had been in good shape for about ten years. However, China’s remarkable economic growth drove up payroll cost, which made it difficult for our sewing factory to hire new workers.

Two years after the launch of business in China, I came and went to China and Vietnam, looking for opportunities to launch the business in Vietnam. Then, we decided to build a factory in an area 100km away southeast from Hanoi, where payroll cost was lower than in other areas in Vietnam. At first, we benefited from abundant workers, low cost and scarcity of other factories. But we found that it was too early to launch the business in Vietnam since we had difficulty getting orders. So we had poured all profits generated from Chinese business into Vientnamese one for seven years. We were at the absolute brink of business closing. If we had continued this way of bailout, we would have had no choice but to lose everything.

However, thanks to “Post-China” trend, the atmosphere had changed just before we were about to close Vietnamese business. Thus our business there can continue to this day. However, as economic growth in Vietnam is remarkable, we will continue to build new production base in consideration of various trends. Sewing industry has been destined to move production bases one after another in accordance of economic environment. However, we have not been afraid of any changes and have continued our business.

I think the best way is not only to maintain and enhance the ongoing business relationship but also to build new structure of cooperation with each other. For example, by directly dealing with a sewing factory, the apparel manufacturer with good sales room will be able to produce hot-selling items and distribute them to consumers in a timely manner. Also, manufacturer and factory will be able to cooperate in order to develop and manufacture apparel products with uncompromising stance. Moreover, manufacturer and factory will be able to put heads together on site and make all kinds of efforts to produce the items consumers really want.

It feels great to hear by word of mouth very pleasant impression from a consumer who purchased the apparel produced by us.

CEO KAZUYA MASAI